Naruto In Search of Hokage
by amogorrilla77
Summary: It has been two years since Jiraiya and Naruto left Konoha for training and both are excited to return, but unforseen circumstances will leave Konoha with a missing Nin for six months thanks to Akatsuki. What happened to the quirky loud mouth.....
1. Chapter 1

**Naruto: In Search of Hokage**

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

Prologue

In a decimated forest outside the Main gates of a well known ninja village called the hidden leaf, Konohagekure, men and women could be heard screaming. The forest floor was littered with the dead bodies of many brave ninja who had sacrificed their lives in order to defend their village against an unyielding and unrelenting nine tailed demon fox known as the Kyuubi. Standing among the carnage of bodies, the Kyuubi lifted his head to roar announcing to the world the deeds of an enraged beast.

Elsewhere in a dimly lit corridor two figures cloaked in shadow stand in front of a door speaking in hushed tones.

"Have all the preparations been made," asked the first figure.

"He is finishing the last steps now." The second figure responded as relief mingled with remorse.

"Good, because I don't think we can keep it at bay much longer. The losses are catastrophic, and the numbers are still rising." The first figure shifted uneasily, sadden by the decision they made.

The second figure voices his remorse aloud, "I wish there was another way."

They briefly share their mutual concern as they stood in the corridor, ready to enter the next room. The two figures take their places within the room completing a circle which has been formed around a small child, and a man with blond hair who has just finished performing some type of jutsu. He made the last hand symbols required and bent over to kiss the child on the forehead. Only the child can hear him whisper, "I am sorry my son. Be strong, and know that your mother and I will always watch over you. I love you, farewell." The man left the circle to face the cause for all this suffering. As he exited the door, an old man was waiting.

"This is the last we will see of each other for awhile, so I just wanted to say Good Journey, and there could have been none better to have succeeded me. I am honored to have known you," said Sandaime.

"Will you honor me with one last request? Watch over my son, and when the time is right give him this. It is my parting gift and the last thing that I will be able to do for him," replied Yondaime.

"I will," said Sandaime as he took possession of a small box.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

At the Main Gates, the Yondaime summons Gamabunta the Boss of all frogs.

"Hey Pipsqueak, long time no see. I hope you have a good reason for summoning me because I was just in the middle of my favorite soap and am very put out" said Gamabunta annoyed.

"Some things never change. I need a ride and a distraction. There's no time to waste, so let's get hopping," Yondaime said shaking his head.

As Gamabunta and the Yondaime arrived at the scene of carnage, he activating his portable transmitter and made hand signs, saying "It's time, begin."

The circle of men surrounding the child began forming hand signs and chanting. The child cried. Yelling over the roars of the Kyuubi, Yodaime asked Gamabunta to gain the Kyuubis attention; Gamabunta let loose a water bullet gaining the Kyuubi's undivided attention. The Kyuubi faced the Frog boss and let out a roar covered in demonic chakra, but it is too late. The Yondaime finished his last jutsu in life and introduced the Kyuubi to the Shinigami (Death God). The hands of the Shinigami reached through the ethereal image of the fourth Hokage and took hold of the Kyuubi, pulling out his soul and sending it up and into the stratosphere. The Kyuubi's physical form vanishes sealing the pact made between the Shinigami and all who dear to summon him. Those whom survived this terrible ordeal will name the Yondaime one of the greatest ninja to ever walk the face of this earth. Arguments erupted over him being the greatest Hokage as well.

Back in the small room a red mist slowly finished entering the child as the men within the circle performed the last of their hand signs and chants. Perspiring profusely and near collapse with exhaustion, one of the men within the circle turned to the Sandaime. "The sealing is done."

Another man at the back of the circle retrieved a kunai hidden underneath his shirt and lunged toward the child. Before this attacker could succeed in his attempt to kill the child, the man facing the Sendaime snatched the child away while leveling the attacker with a well-placed side kick sending him flying across the room and crashing into the wall where he is quickly greeted by two Anbu guards.

"Jiraiya, how could you? You know the child's death will also end the life of the demon that caused all this devastation," said a stranger.

"How could I? How could you? You gave your word to the Fourth, as did we all, promising never to harm this child. Yet you attempt to murder him!" responded Jiraiya with a menacing growl.

The stranger was livid. "I said what needed to be said in order to rid the world of a vicious demon and to save my village! A village nearly destroyed because of the demon within that child!"

Jiraiya's eyes were cold as he responded, "The demon may be within this child, but he is not this child."

"You speak of a demon, yet are not all within this room no better than the monster we seek to contain for what we have done to this poor child?" interjected Sandaime, taking a step forward.

"We did what we had to for the good of the village! In order to save that which we love!" spat the stranger.

"By condemning the love of another, and is this how you plan on repaying that sacrifice, and the sacrifice of his family, by becoming a demon yourself! I suggest that each of you burn these words into your memory; this child is a hero, just as his father is a hero. I cannot stop you from feeling the way you do, but I can stop you from harming this child any more than we already have. As I will be resuming my duties as Hokage, from this day forward the following laws apply to all within this village. Any who so much as utters that this child is the demons container to anyone other than those whom already know, shall be put to death, and anyone who is caught lifting a finger to harm this child, shall be put to death, and by anyone, I do mean anyone. Am I understood!" announced Sandaime in a very serious tone, suggesting no one should test the limits of his words.

Everyone nodded in acceptance of the newly passed laws solemnly. They began to filter away back to their homes; all but one left the small room.

"Do you think that they will obey?" asked Jiraiya, as they watched the group disperse.

"If I thought it was going to be that easy, I would have foregone the death penalty. Although I am sure bitterness and rumors will flourish in the older generations who survived this ordeal. I do believe they will adhere themselves to obedience in the first law. As for the second law, I am afraid he will still have to face great suffering, but it will at least curtail the murderous intent for the most part. His chance to become a part of the village and to not be seen as a monster will rest in the hands of the younger generation; that is the best I can do without having to finish what the Kyuubi started. I am hopeful it will be enough, but only time will tell." Sandaime spoke softly, contemplating the events that happened today.

Standing by the Sandaime Jiraiya his former pupil analyzes everything he has seen and heard before parting ways with his Master.

"Well I am off, Janna!" said Jiraiya, as he turned to depart.

**Chapter 1**: The Disappearance: part 1

In Hokage's office, Tsunade and Jiraiya discussed the current situation.

"Jiraiya, it has been a month since his disappearance, and still we have nothing. If he wasn't captured by Akatsuki then he must be …., or he would have reported in a long time ago," said Tsunade.

"I am certain he is not in Akatsuki's hands; I have exhausted all my contacts on that matter, and there are no signs showing him having been killed; so there is no point in jumping to that conclusion," responded Jiraiya.

"Then what?" asked Tsunade.

"I don't know; it's like he ceased to exist after that day. I didn't think it would come to this and I am not saying that we halt all the searches, but we are out of options, and right now our major priority is in fortifying Konoha. We are just going to have to wait and see what comes."

"I know what needs to be done Jiraiya! I am pestered and plagued by the elders every chance they get. Damn irritating old geezers are always putting their two cents in whenever they can. I am starting to wonder why they even bothered to ask me to assume the mantle of Hokage in the first place, and as if I didn't have enough on my plate already, it would appear that Danzou and his Anbu root are up to something," replied a frustrated Tsunade slamming her hands down on the desk. She__sat listening while Jiraiya relived the events of that day for the one millionth time, searching for some clue he might have missed that would help him to find Naruto.

Jaraiya sat quietly for a moment remembering back to one last conversation.

"_For such a hard head you have improved greatly Naruto; if you keep training as hard as you have these last two years you just might reach Hokage," said Jiraiya._

"_No duh pervy sage, I wouldn't be here wasting my time if it wasn't going to help me become the next Hokage." replied Naruto._

"_Don't get too cocky kid. You still have a long way to go yet, but this is a good start. Now it's time to rest. Tomorrow we start back to Konoha." Jiraiya retorts before turning in for the night. _

_._

Naruto stared off into the night sky listening to the sounds of the crickets and Jiraiya's light snoring deep in thought before joining him. "Konoha, it's hard to believe that I have been away for two whole years. I wonder how much everyone has grown. Wait until they see how much I have changed and how strong I have become; they won't even recognize me. Sakura-chan, I will definitely be able to keep my promise and bring back Sasuke-kun!"

Both master and pupil sleep soundly unaware of three mysterious cloaked figures watching them in the distance. "Is everything in place?" asks the leader of the trio. His two companions nod their heads in unison. __ "Good, by tomorrow we will have acquired the Jinchuuriki. He won't escape us this time."

The day came and left quicker than Jiraiya and Naruto had expected; they had travelled far but still had some ways to go before reaching home. It was mid afternoon when the two had agreed to set up camp rather than pressing on into the late night to reach Konoha. Instead they would finish the last leg of their journey with the greeting of the suns first rays. "Naruto go gather some firewood while I unpack and set up the site." Jiraiya barked. Naruto sprung into action; shouting excitedly "I am on it!" as he disappeared into the forest. What the unsuspecting duo did not know was that Naruto was rushing into an elaborate genjutsu; there are not many people in existence who could pull the wool over the eyes of a legendary Sannin, but then few existed that could claim to be a genius with the surname of Uchiha. Finished with setting up camp Jiraiya busies himself with skinning rabbits while awaiting Naruto's return. Hearing a rustling of the foliage behind him Jiraiya turns.

"Great timing Naruto, start a fire while I finish skinning the rabbits I caught for supper."

"No problem, Jiraiya-sama." responded Naruto.

"That's a first" Jiraiya stated nonchalantly.

"What?" Naruto questioned as he began blowing on embers and slowly adding kindling.

"You know exactly what I am talking about. It is about time you showed your sensei some proper respect." Jiraiya boldly stated.

"Well after all this time I figured there is a first for everything Jiraiya-sama." Naruto quipped as he finished encircling the fire with stones. Jiraiya turned and placed a rabbit on a rock and began skinning it. Naruto seeing Jiraiya occupied with skinning the rabbit drew a kunai and began closing the distance between them stealthily, but quickly hid the Kunai and assumed an innocent posture when Jiraiya cocked his head over his shoulder and asked " Excited to reach Konoha tomorrow Naruto? "

"Aren't you?" Naruto replied.

"True, it will be nice to visit the hot springs after all this time, to relax of course." Jiraiya stated smiling perversely as he imagined himself in a hot spring surrounded by beautiful women. Regaining his composure, Jiraiya returned to skinning the rabbit when Naruto lunged forward aiming his kunai in the direction of Jiraiya's heart; at the last second, spikes of white hair shoot out everywhere impaling Naruto in the shoulder, chest and legs. Blood began to slowly drip from the side of his mouth.

"Why", is all Naruto could muster before entering a coughing fit and spitting up blood.

"I give you credit for your hengen jutsu (transformation technique), but you obviously did not do enough homework." Jiraiya calmly stated.

"How" Naruto rasped as he finished spitting up more blood.

"Your first mistake was when you were so formal, for as long as I have trained Naruto and been his sensei this is the first time he has openly shown me so much respect. Second, was your reaction to my question of returning home to Konoha, the thought of home makes Naruto anxious, yet you were calm, but your biggest mistake was in under estimating my teaching abilities and the abilities of my student to grasp what I have taught; after the last two years he has spent training with me, as thick headed as he can be, Naruto has at least come to learn never to be so obvious with his intent and movements." Jiraiya explained in a confident manner.

Naruto gasping in his last breathe spasms and dies the hengen dissipated revealing the form of an unknown ninja. Jiraiya examined the body for any tell tale signs that might give away the identity of his would be attacker. Discovering nothing, he bolted into the woods; his thoughts betrayed worry for his student. "The days in which Naruto needs to rely on others for help in fighting his own battles from what I have seen in these past two years of training are surely numbered, but for now I need to find him before it is too late."

Returning to the spot where he believed he entered the forest, Naruto heard the rustling of leaves, and quickly jumped back pulling out a Kunai while dropping the wood he had just finished gathering, and assumed a fighting stance when Jiraiya stepped out of the bushes.

"Oh, it's you pervy sage, since when did you begin announcing your presence? I thought we agreed upon stealth at all times to help sharpen my awareness." Naruto blurted out.

"My apologies Naruto; I guess old age has finally managed to catch me off guard." Jiraiya said avoiding the question. Thinking the statement out of character for the perverted hermit, Naruto cautiously holstered his Kunai, and slowly began picking up the wood he just discarded. His eyes never leaving Jiraiya, Naruto pressed the issue. "So old man, I thought you said you were going to be setting up the camp site?"

"I did; I was waiting for you when I decided maybe you needed some help and came to find you." Jiraiya's responses did nothing but fuel Naruto's suspicion as to his true motives for being there causing Naruto to ponder the whole situation.

"Now that's odd, that old pervert is always finding some reason to disappear when there is work to be done. He is always going on about how he has to do some fact finding missions for the village. As if I would believe that! We both know he just wants to go scout for girls so he can do what he calls research for his perverted book, dirty old perv. What are you planning old man? I bet it's a test to see if I am as gullible as before or if I have truly learned my lessons. Well, bring it old man! I'll be waiting; finally I get to try out my new jutsus ….hehehehe." Confident that he had his perverted master all figured out Naruto played along dismissing his sensei's odd actions. "Thanks, but no thanks. I got it old man."

Jiraiya turned and began to leave only slowing down to allow Naruto to pass; he pulled out a rope in which to subdue Naruto thinking it would do no good to take the chance in seriously injuring or killing the Jinchuuriki before they had extracted the Biju. Jiraiya lassoed Naruto making him drop the wood and then spun him around punching him hard in the gut making Naruto cough up a mixture of bile and saliva. Falling to his knees, Naruto gasped for breathe while Jiraiya stood over him with an air of superiority.

"Two years of training and you fall for something as simple as this. You truly are a pathetic ninja. Konoha must have fallen farther than I thought to allow someone like you to dawn the mantle of a leaf ninja." berated Jiraiya as he leveled a kick to Naruto's face. Naruto's head reeled from the impact, as his body began to lift off the ground from the force of the blow, Poof!! He exploded into a thick cloud of noxious smoke completely enveloping Jiraiya. Jiraiya's eyes began to water as he gagged and coughed uncontrollably.

All that could be heard through his uncontrolled gagging and coughing was the loud laughter of one Uzamaki, Naruto. "HAHAHAHA…. you thought I would be tricked that easy. HAHAHA…. how do you like my new technique?…..HAHAHA …the expression on your face…..HAHAHA…."__

Naruto's merriment at his sensei walking into his trap was cut short as the tree he was hiding in began to fall; quickly jumping down and away from the tree while searching for the cause, Naruto is surprised by the figure of a pale blue skinned man with the visage of a shark standing next to the tree that had once helped to conceal him.

Elsewhere, the real Jiraiya took notice of the falling tree, and shot forward at a surprising speed in the direction of where it last stood as he whispered "Hold on Naruto. I am on my way."

"Akatsuki, here, How did they know where to find me? It doesn't matter; I better get back to sensei, from what I can remember in my last encounter with fish face he usually travels with Itachi, and I didn't see him which means he has to be hiding." Naruto thought to himself.

Naruto quickly reached the spot where he left Jiraiya gagging and coughing in a cloud of unpleasantness and anxiously surveyed the area for his master, but as the smoke began to dissipate he was greeted instead by a vomiting and very angry Uchiha, Itachi. "Oh boy, this is not good!" fumbled Naruto while he formed hand signs. Finished he yelled Kage Bunshin no jutsu (Shadow clone technique), Kage Bunshin Sendo Nioi no jutsu (Shadow clone a thousand times stench technique), Kage Bunshin Ma-Ka no jutsu (Shadow clone marker technique) forming an army of shadow clones which he separated into three rows of twenty five clones each and prepared himself for battle.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 2:**The Disappearance: part 2

Kisame looked past Naruto's shadow clone army as if they did not exist "Long time no see, boy. I wouldn't be expecting Jiraiya if I were you." He greeted.

"There is no point in resisting; you will be coming with us one way or another." Itachi managed to spit out in between coughing fits, but his threat was oblivious to Naruto who was gripped by fury at Kisame's innuendo. Naruto screamed "Ike!" (Go) and his first row of clones exploded into action.

"I was hoping you would do that." Kisame exclaimed with a shark like grin on his face.

Kisame drew Samehada from his back waiting for the clones to come in range before he casually swung it as if nothing was there to block its movement dissipating all of the shadow clones without any effort. Poof, they erupted into a huge mushroom cloud of noxious smoke that engulfed him. While Itachi, almost fully recovered from his ordeal stood on the side lines and watched their battle with disinterest.

"Ha! You should have been paying attention to what happened to your friend when he destroyed one of my new clones. I call this technique the Big Stinker, because if you destroy any of my new Kage Bunshin you're left with a very nasty and super smelly surprise. I got the idea from when I fought in the chuunin exams against my friend Kiba. How do you like it fish face?" Naruto taunted angrily.

The satisfaction and excitement on Naruto's face from having proved the usefulness of his new technique in combat was cut short when he noticed the noxious smoke being pushed away by a huge wave of water which rushed towards him and his clones. All of them quickly leapt back and landed on the nearby trees behind them barely avoiding the wave as it came crashing down forming a huge lake that surrounded them. Kisame rose from the lake smiling fiendishly.

"If that's all you have to offer then this isn't going to be much fun at all boy." Kisame mocked.

"We'll see about that fish face!" Naruto shot back. "Second wave go!"

The second group of twenty five shadow clones began their attack by hurling shuriken with explosive tags attached. Kisame dove to avoid them, but as soon as he surfaced all of the clones took aim and hurled themselves into the water with Kunais drawn. Kisame chuckled and called Naruto pathetic before he shot upwards like a bullet towards Naruto's shadow clones. He dispatched them with two slashes from Samehada and fell back into the water. Naruto raised his hand signaling the rest of his clones to prepare themselves as they waited for Kisame to resurface. Meanwhile, Jiraiya sped towards Naruto wondering how long he would last by himself before falling. 

"SHOW YOURSELF TUNA BREATHE!!" Naruto shouted in an attempt to draw Kisame out.

When Naruto finished hurling his insult he and his clones noticed the trees behind them had begun to fall. They all leapt as high as they could into the air as the trees they were perched on collapsed; upon reaching the pinnacle of their leap a laughing Kisame surfaced to mock them. Naruto signaled his clones. The clones reached into their pouches, as they descended each grabbed a handful of explosive tags and threw them into the air. Naruto formed hand signs and whispered Senbon Ryoushi (Needle Hunter). All of the explosive tags started twirling and formed senbon which shot pass Naruto and his clones. There were so many it looked like rain fall. Kisame submerged underwater once again to avoid the oncoming explosive tags, but that did not stop the senbon who pierced the water in search of their prey.

"I can't believe that little brat thinks a few explosive tags are going to stop someone like me. I guess it's time he learns who he is dealing with." Kisame thought as the tags gave chase.

Kisame shot forward at an incredible speed gaining some distance from the explosive tags that hunted him forming hand signs as he did so. Once the hand signs were completed Kisame quickly turned and yelled Suiton: Suikodan no jutsu (Water release: Water Shark bullet technique). A shark formed out of the water and shot towards the explosive tags to detonate them, but the tags just drilled through the water shark and continued on their journey to reach Kisame exploding upon contact. The shockwave from the explosion was so massive that it destroyed the rest of Naruto's clones and sent him flying ten feet gaining the acknowledgement of Itachi.

"You have grown since last we met Naruto, but it's not enough." Itachi thought.

Itachi's thought was barely finished when Naruto was attacked by five sharks made out of water. Still disoriented from the blast created by his exploding tags Naruto was only able to avoid three of the five sharks before being hit by the fourth. It clipped him on the shoulder and sent him spinning. The fifth shark caught him straight in the gut and rammed him into the trees knocked down earlier by Kisame. Naruto continued flying until he was stopped by a gigantic and still rooted cedar tree. Kisame dispelled his Suiton: Bakusui Shoha (Water release: Exploding Water Shockwave) and walked over to him.

"Not a bad trick with those exploding tags boy, you managed to singe my favorite cloak. If I was a lesser ninja I probably would have really suffered from that attack. Now how are you going to repay me for singeing my favorite cloak? I know." Kisame said as he drew Samehada from his back and shredded through Naruto's jacket and the flesh of his right arm allowing Samehada to feast upon his chakra.

"There, that should make us even for singeing my cloak, but now how are you going to repay me for wasting my time? I know! We can remove your legs so I have an easier time of carrying you. It's the least you can do to repay me." Kisame continued, irritating Itachi.

"Kisame, that's enough! You are not removing his legs he would bleed to death before we get what we want. Grab him and let's be on our way before anything troublesome decides to find us."

"What trouble would that be? There is no one around for miles, and the legendary Jiraiya is having a conversation with a Naruto that probably has already sent him on his way to hell." Kisame said arrogantly.

"Even you are not foolish enough to truly believe something like that. Remember what happened with our last little ruse. All we have done is bought ourselves some time, and I don't feel like returning empty handed again. So let's move quickly." Itachi reprimanded. Kisame retorted by telling Itachi he needed to learn how to stop being so uptight. Naruto struggled to maintain consciousness, but his head was throbbing, and his body ached as if he had broken every bone in it. Everything slowly faded to black as Kisame used Samehada to lift him. Kisame placed Samehada over his shoulder as Itachi turned and walked away.

"Boy, BOY, WAKE UP BOY! No one who is my vessel is allowed to fall so easily and certainly not to two weaklings such as these." The Kyuubi's voice echoed in Naruto's head as he begun to stir. At first he did not recognize the surroundings but then realization dawned upon him. He had returned to that deep, dark, and dank place were the cause for most of the suffering in his life resided. He was inside his mindscape at the door of the prison which housed the Kyuubi.

"Come boy, take my strength. Let's show them how strong we truly are, and how foolish they were to cross us." The Kyuubi said enticingly.

Naruto knew he should resist; In the last two years he spent training with Jiraiya he has learned that the power the Kyuubi offered came at a price, but he needed that power, the power to escape his current predicament, the power he knew the Kyuubi held; and that power was what he needed if he was going to bring back Sasuke and keep his promise to Sakura-chan. Naruto walked towards the gates to the jail that imprisoned the Kyuubi and placed his hand on it; a red and ominous chakra begun to leek through the bars and swirled around him. Naruto phased through the gates which held the Kyuubi captive. A devilish smile was sewn upon the Kyuubi's face as he bellowed a dark and sinister laugh.

Jiraiya reached the location of the fallen tree only to see two tiny figures in the distance. One looked as if he was carrying something. Jiraiya realized that the something being carried was a limp body which dangled off an object. His mind reached the conclusion "I am too late." He pursued the three figures while formulating a plan of attack. Naruto's body had begun to leak a red demonic chakra which went unnoticed with Itachi leading the way and Kisame using Samehada to carry him. It's not until Naruto's chakra covered hand grabbed Kisame by the back of the head and slammed it into the ground creating a three foot crater that either member of Akatsuki realized he had regained consciousness, let alone that he was now covered from head to toe in a demonic chakra. Itachi quickly turned and rested his gaze upon Naruto. Through Sharingan active eyes, he forced his way into Naruto's mindscape where he came face to face with a fiendishly smiling Kyuubi.

"You're too late Sharingan user." The Kyuubi guffawed before he released a chakra laced roar banishing the Sharingan user from Naruto's mindscape, but that small distraction was all Kisame needed to recover.

Kisame slammed Samehada into Naruto with such tremendous force that it sent him flying through the forest crashing into tree after tree. If not for the demonic chakra which cloaked Naruto's body absorbing most of the force from the impact he would have been defeated for a second time that day, but as it stood all Kisame had managed to do was to enrage a Kyuubi enhanced Naruto.

The Kyuubi chakra cloaking Naruto begun to sprout what can only be described as tails; the first had formed when Naruto slammed Kisame's head into the ground, but now there was a second and then a third. At the completion of the third chakra tail, the left and right tails lashed out like sentient beings. The tails wrapped themselves around the first trees they encountered and halted Naruto's backward motion before using them to help create a sling shot affect which flung Naruto back in the direction from which he came. He shot forward like a bullet flies towards the promise of blood and carnage; he flew towards Kisame and Itachi eagerly, his ears filled with the pounding of his heart and the whooshing of his blood as demonic chakra laced adrenalin coursed through his veins heightened his senses, strengthened his body, and altered his perceptions.

Naruto fought desperately to maintain his sanity as his mind became muddled and rational thoughts were replaced by animalistic instincts and murderous intent. Demonic rage demanded the annihilation of anything which dared to cross his path. An agonizing scream escaped his throat reverberating off the forest trees causing all the animals within the forest to flee for safety. Itachi and Kisame prepared themselves to face an enraged Jinchuuriki. Naruto flew out of the path he created reaching out with his chakra covered hand. The demonic chakra stretched itself outward in an attempt to claw Kisame and Itachi in half when a gigantic toad landed in between him and his prey, creating an enormous cloud of dust blocking Naruto's view and dispelling the chakra which sought to destroy the two Akatsuki members.

Itachi and Kisame leapt back to avoid the giant toad only to fall into Jiraiya's Doton: Yomi Numa (Earth release: Swamp of the Underworld). Jiraiya dispelled the toad summon and fell to the ground facing the slowly sinking Akatsuki members. Forming hand signs he cried Katon: Karyu Endan (Fire release: Fire Dragon Flame Missile), but Itachi, already perceiving the situation set Kisame into motion who completing the necessary hand signs cried Suiton: Bakusui Shoha which collided with the stream of fire headed for them creating a big mushroom cloud of steam. Itachi used the concealment provided by the steam to form Kage Bunshin and the two escape Jiraiya's Doton: Yomi Numa before Jiraiya can complete his next jutsu.

Naruto released a mighty blood curdling roar gaining Jiraiya's attention; recognizing the sound of Naruto succumbing to the power of the Kyuubi, Jiraiya reached into his vest and pulled out a special slip of paper containing a unique sealing jutsu. He created the sealing jutsu to dispel the chakra cloak and negate the Kyuubi's hold over Naruto. Trapping Naruto in a Doton: Yomi Numa Jiraiya stood and prepared himself for the dangerous confrontation which was about to take place. The two Akatsuki members seized this opportunity to escape, both seeing the futility of prolonging a losing battle.

When the dust cleared Jiraiya saw the skin on Naruto's body melting away. His muscles tore and the cracking of bones was heard as Naruto took the shape of a miniature blood covered Kyuubi with four tails. Once half of Naruto's body had been engulfed by the swamp Jiraiya rushed forward sealing jutsu at the ready, but Naruto unleashed a blast of intense heat filled demonic chakra. The heat was so great that it dried up Jiraiya's Doton: Yomi Numa leaving a smooth crater were the swamp once stood forcing Jiraiya to back away. Naruto lunged forward clawing at Jiraiya who just barely managed to evade the attack. Missing his prey, Naruto followed through by quickly leaping into the air spinning to face Jiraiya and simultaneously firing a chakra bullet which caught Jiraiya on the calf. The blast caused Jiraiya to lose his footing and the paper containing the sealing slipped from his grasp as he braced himself, but before he could hit the ground Naruto was there; with a swipe of his demonic chakra claw, he tore open a deep and ugly looking gash on Jiraiya's chest and sent the Toad Sage flying into a nearby tree which splintered. Using the blood from the wound on his chest Jiraiya's last conscious act is the completion of his Kuchiyose: Gamaguchi Shibari (Summoning: Toad Mouth Bind) trapping the enraged Jinchuuriki. As the darkness is about to claim him, Jiraiya witnessed a blinding light.

His next conscious moments will take place seven days later with his wounds bound and underneath the tent of kind travelers. Jiraiya will spend two more days resting before he is able to summon a messenger toad to relay the situation, and he will spend another three days with the hunter nin in search of Naruto before being ordered to the infirmary so that they can tend to his wounds properly. Finished with his recollections Jiraiya gets up to leave.

A month will have passed before it is decided to place Naruto in the book of missing Nin, and not a moment will pass by when Jiraiya is not haunted by the events of that day. The day the great Sannin known as the Toad Sage was again unable to protect that which he held precious.

Jiraiya's nights will be spent with bottles of saki and whichever ladies he can find, and his days will be spent wandering from town to town and place to place in search of his hyperactive and determined student, occasionally stopping to do research for his book. Tsunade will focus on the Strengthening of Konoha, and Team Kakashi one of a handful of new teams will be formed. The members include the obvious Hatake Kakashi as team captain, a determined and much improved Haruno, Sakura, and Sai an Anbu Root member planted by Danzou for an unkown reason within the group with the help of the Konoha elders, annoying Tsunade-sama to no end. The fourth and final team member would be chosen at a later date due to a lack of manpower.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 3: Lost and Found the Wandering Hermit

Trapped within Jiraiya's Kuchiyose: Gamaguchi Shibari, Kyuubi, Naruto excreted tiny condensed balls of red chakra from all over his body and swallowed them, by the time he finished ingesting the last chakra ball his quarters had shrunken restricting his movement. In a last ditch effort to escape being crushed, Kyuubi, Naruto opened his mouth and released a blast of highly condensed chakra at close range. The result was a magnificent explosion which freed Kyuubi, Naruto propelling him like a rocket. The shockwave hurled Jiraiya ten feet and irrevocably devastated the surrounding area.

Naruto will be found unconscious miles from the location of the battle by an old man and spend the next two and a half weeks drifting in and out of consciousness, "Uuugh, where am I?" Naruto asked the shadowy figure hovering over him groggily.

"You are somewhere safe so rest. You still have not fully recovered from your injuries."

Feeling nothing but pain Naruto heeded the advice, closed his eyes and drifted back into unconsciousness. He will sleep another three days before he is roused by the growl of his stomach. Naruto sat up slowly; his body hurt terribly and he did not want to move, but his stomach ached more. He was about to stand when he spotted a pair of make shift crutches. He wondered what they were for, but the ache in his stomach overrode all his thoughts save one "Man, I am starving!" Orienting himself to his surroundings and allowing his eyes to adjust to the dimly lit area he discovered a stone table with three bowls alongside a plate of buns. Attempting to stand he is greeted by a sharp pain in his right leg and collapses back onto the bed. Using the crutches he makes his way over to the table and snatches a bun when an Old Man walks in carrying a tray holding two cups and a teapot.

"Aaagh, I see you are awake and just in time for lunch. May I join you?"

"Who are you, and where am I?" Naruto blurts out after he finishes swallowing.

"There is plenty of time for questions later. Right now, its time for lunch and from what I saw you need to eat."

Naruto nods for the Old Man to join him at the stone table, and although his body still ached all over, Naruto felt far better after he finished eating. After both were done eating, the two of them sat at the table in silence sipping tea, and allowed the food they had eaten to digest; neither of them wishing to lose the comfort and contentment found after a good meal. What seemed like an eternity passed before the Old Man broke the silence with the tale of how he came to find Naruto naked, unconscious, and barely alive in a small crater sized hole by a stream.

"The way you looked. I was surprised you were still alive. I didn't think anyone could look as you did and still live. Once I realized you weren't dead, I wrapped you in one of my spare traveling cloaks and brought you here. Now that you have regained consciousness perhaps you could tell me your name, and were you are from?"

Naruto tried hard to remember who he was and where he came from, but he could not remember anything accept waking in this dimly lit place and being greeted by the Old Man.

"I don't know; I can't remember anything accept waking up here."

"Well, you were pretty beat up, so it's not hard to believe that you would be suffering from amnesia."

"Amnesia?"

"Memory loss kiddo, but I wouldn't worry. I'm sure it's just temporary; sometimes a person suffering a traumatic experience or receiving a hard blow to the head forgets things, and the way I found you tells me maybe you had a bit of both. You'll get your memory back eventually. For now though I would just focus on healing up."

The old man gathers up the dishes and turned to walk away when Naruto stopped him.

"Hey, old man do you have a name or am I going to be calling you Old Man all the time, and you never told me were this place is?"

"The name is Yoshikawa, Kenichi and you are right, I didn't tell you were we are. All you need to know for now is that you are safe and have a place to heal up Haguru-kun." (Haguru - to stray from, to get lost)

"Is that my name? I thought you said you found me?"

"It is now, unless you want me to call you boy all the time."

Naruto takes hold of the make shift crutches and works his way back over to the bed to lie down.

"Thank you, Yoshikawa-san. I know you didn't have to do this. I owe you."

"Nothing in Heaven or Earth is more appreciated or honorable than saving a life. You owe me nothing." Yoshikawa replied as he turned to leave, shutting the door behind him.

Naruto lied in bed alone with his thoughts staring at the ceiling of his new room until he fell into a deep slumber. He was awakened by the sound of dripping water, everywhere was pitched black accept for an eerie light emanating from a huge gate with some kind of seal attached to it. Naruto slowly made his way to the gate until only a three foot distance separated the two. A pair of eyes pierced the darkness behind the gate and a tired guttural "Boy" echoed forth as red chakra slowly escaped from the gate. Naruto sat up breaking into a cold sweat and panting excitedly. "It was just a dream!" he told himself before falling back to sleep.

A little over a month and a half has passed since Naruto was found and he was wandering around his cavern home almost completely healed amazing Yoshikawa, who witnessing Naruto's wounds guessed it would take twice as long as it did. What he found even more amazing was the fact that there was virtually no scarring save for some whisker like scars on the boy's face that made him look fox like.

Yoshikawa had given Naruto the layout of the cavern places to go and places that were off limits giving the excuse that those areas were still under construction and dangerous. It took years for Yoshikawa to make the mountain home through the use of jutsu along with a little physical labor the caverns had been given all the amenities one would expect to find if he was visiting the house of a noble lord.

Naruto obeyed Yoshikawa's request out of respect and a sense of gratitude, but today he would be caught being a little too curious. There was one place that Yoshikawa had frequented often which when he was not around was always locked, and it was this particular door that had caught the eye of our hero. Yoshikawa left disappearing to wherever it was that he went to on occasion, and Naruto seized upon this opportunity to attempt entry into the forbidden zone as he had come to call it. He reached for the handle to the door and was enveloped by darkness.

"Uugh, what happened? Where am I?"

"You are in your room that's where you are!" answered an all too familiar and stern voice.

"NO WAY!! How did I get here? Last thing I remember was touching that door…errrr, uuuh…I mean tripping and hitting my head on the door in the corridor." Naruto shouted in amazement as he jumped out of bed.

"Am I supposed to believe that? We both know that you deliberately disobeyed a simple request! The more important question is what am I going to do with you now?" Yoshikawa said inquiringly.

"What does that mean?"

"I mean you have shown that you are not to be trusted alone, and if I can't trust you then you will have to go." Yoshikawa answered as he turned his back to Naruto.

"You're sending me away for what? Trying to find some answers, trying to learn something about the person who saved my life. You're getting rid of me for trying to find out something… anything!"

Tears begun to stream uncontrollably down Naruto's face.

"All I do is roam the places you allow me to mindlessly! I don't ask you for anything because you don't owe me anything, but I need something to do so I am not tormented by the thought of who I am being gone. Do I have family, friends? Do I have anything to go back to, anything at all, or am I how I feel, alone. I don't think the answer would matter much as long as I had one."

"You are the first person I have ever allowed into my home. Why I didn't walk past you that day I don't know, but I didn't, and now you are here. I suppose since I saved your life I am now responsible for it. Get some rest, because starting tomorrow you are going to get your wish."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Naruto sniffles.

"I am going to give you something to do." Yoshikawa turns and walks away leaving Naruto to contemplate the fate that awaits him.


	4. Chapter 4

**WOW! Four chapters and the title of the fifth one already. I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 4:** Something to Do

When Naruto awoke, the next five months would make him come to regret his request because Yoshikawa would prove to be a merciless task master. Yoshikawa devoted the first two weeks to testing Naruto's conditioning and potential. It was evident to Yoshikawa after testing Naruto that he had prior training prompting him to push Naruto harder in the months that followed in order to discover exactly how far that training went.

The first two months were the worst for Naruto. Yoshikawa would attack him repeatedly, and training was never ending, even meal times were fare game. In that time Naruto broke down only once and had worked up the nerve to ask Yoshikawa why he was so relentless. Yoshikawa had nonchalantly responded that he would stop anytime. All Naruto needed to do was say the word and everything would go back to the way it was before. Naruto decided never to ask another question about his training again. Instead, he would silently endure whatever it was Yoshikawa threw at him. He figured that when the time was right Yoshikawa would enlighten him with the answers he sought.

Yoshikawa was constantly varying his attacks between taijutsu, ninjutsu, genjutsu, and elemental in order to grasp Naruto's full potential. Through this intense training Yoshikawa and Naruto were both able to ascertain that he had a basic grasp of genjutsu or at least how to counter it. He also had an average grasp of taijutsu, and a firm grasp of Hengen and multiple types of Kage Bunshin. Yoshikawa theorized that Kage Bunshin being Naruto's most familiar, had to be his favorite technique as well. Naruto's unbelievable endurance and chakra reserves coupled with the knowledge of Kage Bunshin would prove very useful in his future training sessions.

Yoshikawa tailored Naruto's training first towards the improvement of his genjutsu and taijutsu skills. Yoshikawa believed that genjutsu and taijutsu were the most useful tools in the training of a ninja because one focused solely on the mind while the other focused on his physical being. Only when Naruto could prove his mastery of these two aspects of his nature would Yoshikawa help him to improve his already decent although fairly limited grasp of ninjutsu. The final stage of Naruto's training Yoshikawa would devote to the learning and use of his elemental affinity.

Through all the time spent training an obvious bond was forming between the two. Naruto thought Yoshikawa to be a remarkable man; his knowledge and skills on the subjects of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu seemed limitless. The only noticeable barrier between the two was Yoshikawa's reluctance in speaking of his past and how he had come to possess all his knowledge, but Naruto accepted this about his master even though his curiosity burned him daily; he had learned that there were some doors better left closed unless invited in.

The day's training has Naruto standing on his right leg with his left leg crossed over his right thigh underneath a raging waterfall. His knee is bent so that it appears as if he is sitting down with his legs crossed. The falling water pounds down on his shoulders with enough force to make him feel as if he was going to buckle at any moment, but somehow he was able to hold on. The exercise alone was more than enough to tax his endurance, but Yoshikawa had him doing this alongside as many Kage Bunshin as he could muster.

"Master I know I promised never to question your methods, but can you please explain the meaning behind this exercise." Naruto asked breathlessly.

"Asking questions is never wrong Haguru-kun as long as they are the right ones. In answer to your question since we have been training you have more than demonstrated how thick your skull is when it comes to things like genjutsu and meditation. I have surmised that it is not because of your lack of potential, but instead it is because of your lack of focus with anything that requires effort unless it is taijutsu related. So in order to drive into you the power of the mind and the usefulness of genjutsu I have devised this training which is both of a physical and mental nature. In order to break down that stubborn barrier you have created, I am going to wear you out until you realize that where the body has its limits the mind only has that which you burden it with."

"Okay, but why do I have to use so many Kage Bunshin?"

"Haguru, close your eyes."

Once Naruto has closed his eyes Yoshikawa picks up a rock and hurls it at one of the shadow clones so hard that it is dispelled.

"Now Haguru without opening your eyes tell me what I have just done."

"You threw a rock and dispelled one of my clones." Naruto answered.

"And how did you know that if your eyes were closed." Yoshikawa pressed.

"I really don't know Master."

"You know because even though Kage Bunshin can move and act freely they are connected to you, and through that connection anything they come to know you will know."

A light clicks on in Naruto's mind as he finds understanding in his Masters explanation.

"However even though this type of training has its obvious rewards like the ability to learn things that would normally take years to master in half the time if not sooner depending upon your ability to grasp that which you and your clones have learned; this type of training does not come without a price."

"What price would that be Master?"

"If my calculations are correct you will know soon enough."

Naruto was perplexed by his Master's words until fifteen minutes later when he collapsed. Yoshikawa shun shinned (Flash step) to his side and caught him before he fell. Naruto spent the next three days unconscious from the strain of having pushed his body to its limit. When he awoke his Master would have him perform the whole grueling process over again. It is not until a month of training and his tenth attempt that Naruto was able to push past his limit. Yoshikawa watched and waited to catch Naruto, but that time never came. Yoshikawa made Naruto continue for an additional five minutes before having him dispel his clones and allowing him to come down. More than a little shaken and feeling a little woozy but otherwise unharmed Naruto does as he is told.

"Haguru, how do you feel?"

"I am a little shaken and more than a little tired but I feel fine Master."

"How was it that you were able to keep yourself from passing out this time?"

"I don't know. I just didn't want to I guess."

"Think Naruto. How was it that you were able to stop yourself from passing out after three and a half hours this time? Take your time. What did you feel? What was different?"

Yoshikawa waits patiently as Naruto mulls over his question.

"I want to say that my training has finally allowed me to build up enough endurance and I am sure that is part of it, but there was this point where I heard myself saying it's okay to take a break, go ahead and lay down, and just as I was about too something else inside me told me that I should keep going that now wasn't the right time to rest and even though I really just wanted to let go, some mysterious energy allowed me to continue."

"And do you realize what that moment was?"

"Sure, it was me going crazy." Naruto quipped.

Yoshikawa looking upon his pupil and smiling began to laugh.

"No, Haguru you were not losing your mind; you were using your mind, to break down the barrier of stubbornness that is your thick skull. Once you recognized your bodies limit had been reached you tapped into the recesses of your mind and told it to hold on. Instead of your mind obeying your body for once you made your body obey your mind. Let's go home; it's time to eat and rest. Tomorrow you begin the second phase of your training.

"Alright!"

Naruto is so excited about the day's training he is unable to sleep any further and decides to prepare breakfast. Yoshikawa smelling something good rises and heads for the dining area where he discovers two plates loaded with healthy portions of rice, eggs and rabbit meat left over from the night's meal. Naruto enters the room with a tray holding a pot of freshly brewed mountain tea and two cups sets them on the table and greeting his Master sits. Master and pupil say a silent prayer of thanks before digging in. Their meal finished, both sit silently sipping on mountain tea allowing their food to digest a ritual they have enjoyed since their first encounter.

"Haguru, you know you didn't have to do this. It is part of my normal routine after all."

"I know Master, but I couldn't sleep past dawn and I just wanted to show my appreciation for everything you have done."

"Haguru….," Yoshikawa wanted to express his pride in having him as a pupil and to tell him he did not need to repay him, but it has been so long since he has allowed himself to show any kind of emotions that he was uncertain on how to proceed. Naruto sensed this and pressed his Master for the sake of pure mischief.

"Yes Master?"

"It is time for your training."

Naruto smiled inwardly and silently followed his Master; for the very first time the longing to know who he was became nothing more than an afterthought and he was genuinely happy. Yoshikawa took Naruto to a breath taking field filled with azuma ichirinsou and hitotubatago. Yoshikawa had him sit and focus on his breath. If it had been two and half months ago Naruto would have never been able to do as he was asked, but ever since yesterday he felt different somehow. Ten minutes pass before Yoshikawa instructs Naruto to forget the world around him and to focus on himself and only himself.

"Tell me how does one perform a genjutsu Haguru."

"The genjutsu user extends his chakra outward through the use of his eyes; hypnotizing his victim into believing whatever he wants."

"And how does one counter a genjutsu?"

"Either the person recognizes that a genjutsu is being performed and temporarily cuts his chakra flow and then sends a surge of chakra to disrupt the chakra flow of the genjutsu user or his partner snaps him out of it."

"Very good, the next phase of your training involves chakra sensitivity this will help you go a long way in recognizing genjutsu so that you can avoid them; eventually you will learn how to perform and counter them using your own, but first we will improve your defense against them."

"How will we do that Master?" Naruto inquired.

"That was the point of the breathing exercise. If you can block out the extraneous and focus solely upon who you are, you should be able to realize when someone is trying to manipulate you through the use of genjutsu by recognizing the foreign chakra that has entered your system instantly. It is by no means an easy task to master which is why I had you train in the utilization of your Kage Bunshin in order to shorten the length of this training. Once you master this I will teach you a few basic genjutsu and then we shall move on to taijutsu."

It took Naruto a solid month of intense training before he was able to train his senses to recognize when someone was trying to manipulate his mind, but he finally succeeded in mastering chakra sensitivity as well as a few basic genjutsu. Yoshikawa was surprised at how quickly he learned and was very much pleased. He decided to reward his pupil for the five months of total dedication by allowing him to accompany him to fetch provision in the far neighboring Sand country. It was part excursion and part necessity since his provisions had dwindled so low.

They would travel on foot improving his taijutsu skills and when they returned he would begin to further his training in genjutsu and as an added bonus Yoshikawa would instruct him on some ninjutsu to motivate his mastery of genjutsu. Once Naruto proved to be truly knowledgeable in his skills he would introduce the concept of elemental affinity.

"Pack your things Haguru."

"Why?"

"Because tomorrow we are leaving."

"Where to?"

"To gather provisions, you have eaten us out of house and home. What should have lasted us another three months has been greatly reduced thanks to your stomach."

"Does that mean we get to take a break from training?"

"You're not that lucky. Go get ready, and then get some rest; we leave at first light."


	5. Chapter 5

**It is scary how fast these first five chapters have come. I keep telling myself to write a couple more chapters before releasing one, but I can't so enjoy:oD**

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 5:** Suna: The Memory Road

The first rays of sunlight bore witness to Naruto and Yoshikawa bidding their Mountain home farewell. It was the first time since coming to be with Yoshikawa that Naruto had journeyed so far from the caverns. He was excited for the change of scenery and the chance to meet new people. Well, new in the sense that he had no memory of anything before being saved by Yoshikawa, and who knew what this journey would reveal. It might very well help him to remember something, maybe he was a member of Suna society. Perhaps when they reach there he might even find someone who knew him. The possibilities made him anxious. Yoshikawa had thought about those things as well, and though he would be saddened to see him go he had decided to leave that decision in the hands of fate.

The one thing Yoshikawa had the power to control was to ensure that the pupil whom he had grown so fond of would be able to handle whatever was thrown at him thoroughly come what may. In the three weeks of travel Yoshikawa would become relentless in his training of Naruto in the art of taijutsu, and with the help of his Kage Bunshin Yoshikawa had gauged that Naruto had accumulated about ten years worth of fighting applications within those weeks. Yoshikawa had made it a point to spend countless hours grilling him on multiple scenarios, fighting tactics, and on the anatomy of the body. Attacking him at random in all hours of the night and day, sleeping or awake; improving his taijutsu, survival instinct and ability to assess a situation tremendously.

"I think you are ready for the final level of your taijutsu training Haguru."

"ALRIGHT!"

"Before we begin tell me what weapons does a taijutsu master possess, Haguru?"

"The taijutsu masters weapons are the environment which surrounds him, his body, and his mind."

"Which is the most important?"

"His mind because if he can't think then how is he to act."

"What are the downfalls of a taijutsu master?"

"The downfalls of a taijutsu master are arrogance, and unrestrained emotions."

"And why are these things his downfall?"

"They are his downfall because either of these things can prevent him from properly assessing a situation."

Yoshikawa smiled at his pupil, thinking "I Have chosen wisely."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Inside the Hokage's office, Tsunade briefed team Kakashi on their first mission.

"We have just received a letter from Suna requesting help. They were attacked by an unknown force and the Kazekage was taken after defending their village. I am sending you."

"When do we leave?" asked Kakashi

"As soon as you are ready, and remember nothing is to be said about Naruto's disappearance from the village. I am sure that rumors have leaked out in these last six months, but I want them to remain just that, rumors!" Tsunade said forcefully.

Team Kakashi nodded their understanding and left to prepare for their mission.

"Sakura, Sai pack only what you need. We are going to be traveling fast. If my calculations are correct then it took that message a day and a half to reach here and it will take us at least three to get there depending on how quickly we move. Meaning that we are already way behind. We will meet at the front gate in half an hour. " Kakashi said before departing.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Yoshikawa and Naruto had set up camp for the night. Yoshikawa was testing Naruto on his knowledge of the anatomy of the body and was pleased to find that Naruto had retained the majority of his lessons.

"Haguru I want you to have this."Yoshikawa handed him a scroll.

"What is it?"

"It is my final lesson in taijutsu. I am intrusting you with this knowledge of my taijutsu style. It has taken me years to perfect; it utilizes the knowledge of the body to systematically incapacitate, maim, or destroy your opponent through a series of fluid motion or with one strike."

"Master, I don't know what to say."

"Promise me you will never abuse the knowledge I have given you. Promise me that you will use it only in defense of your life, the lives of your loved ones, or to protect the weak. Never use what I have shown you out of anger or maliciousness. Promise me."

"I promise." Naruto replied solemnly.

"Then there is nothing more you need say."

Naruto attempted to open the scroll, but could not. Yoshikawa donned a mischievous grin.

"I just told you that this taijutsu is the culmination of all my life's experience. Did you think you would open the scroll so easily?"

Yoshikawa taught Naruto the necessary hand signs to dispel and replace the protection seal placed upon the scroll. Naruto then wrestled a promise from Yoshikawa that he would teach him what he knew about the art of sealing. Tomorrow they would be within a day's travel to Suna, and Yoshikawa laid down pondering what was to come.

Halfway into their day's journey to Suna Naruto and Yoshikawa come upon the remnants of a battle. They quickly surveyed the surrounding area to ensure all the trouble had passed and stumble upon a fallen ninja. Yoshikawa checked his vitals and found a weak pulse. Naruto retrieved his canteen from the top of his pack and held it to the ninja's lips. The ninja looked upon Naruto with a face of recognition. "Naruto…..you must…..Gaara…."

Naruto stared through the ninja as memories of a boy with a huge gourd on his back standing by the fallen ninja and a girl flooded his mind. Naruto clung to the images like a life line attempting to call forth more memories, but there was nothing. Yoshikawa and Naruto carried the fallen ninja back to Suna and are greeted by a group of sand jounin guarding the entrance gates.

"State your business." The lead jounin demanded.

"We came here to visit the market, on our way here we discovered this man he is alive but just barely." Yoshikawa replied.

"Kankurou–sama" shouted the guards in unison.

The lead jounin had two of his men take charge of Kankurou. They rushed him to the infirmary to be examined while the lead jounin proceeded to search Yoshikawa and Naruto; as per his orders, he was to search any and all persons passing through the gates regardless of their stature. He thanked them for not giving him a hard time, apologized for the inconvenience and sent them on their way.

"Haguru it is obvious that there is some connection between you and the injured ninja. I think maybe you should see where it leads."

"Thank you Master."

"There is nothing to thank me for. This is your chance to find out who you are; I have no right to interfere with that. I only ask that you tell no one of me or the location of our home."

"Does it have something to do about your past? Never mind, it is not my place to pry, forgive me Master. It is just that I….."

Naruto wanted to tell him that he was worried about where this road would lead him and that he would like to know something more about the man he had come to consider as more than just a Master just in case, but decided it was a selfish request and stopped himself.

"There is nothing to forgive. What pupil does not wish to know their Master? I promise you this Haguru; find out what you need to. You know how to find me. When you're ready we will finish your training and I will share with you my past. Seeing as our paths are about to split take these scrolls with you also. You already know how to open them. They will further your knowledge in genjutsu and ninjutsu as well as teach you the basic theory behind sealing jutsu. Study hard Haguru because when next we meet I will test your knowledge of those scrolls thoroughly."

Naruto had no words to express his gratitude; so he did something hugged Yoshikawa as a son would a father, catcing him completely off guard. Yoshikawa became misty eyed as Naruto thanked him and went his separate way.

"Old fool; what are you crying about?" Yoshikawa mumbled to himself.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 6:** Reunion: Do I Know You? Oh Yeah, I Forgot!

Team Kakashi arrived at Suna to discover Kankurou near death in the infirmary. Fortunately for the Suna medical ninja Sakura was able to prolong Kankurou's life through the use of a very difficult and taxing medical jutsu she had recently mastered buying her and the Suna medical ninja some time to find a cure for the poison killing him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto was at the door of the hospital inquiring about the fallen ninja he helped earlier, but the guards refused to answer any of his questions. Thanks to the kidnapping of the Kazekage all areas were in a heightened state of security. Naruto decided not to press the matter and left before giving the guards a reason to detain him. Locating a spot out of sight from the guards Naruto surveyed the surroundings for an alternate route inside, but was unable to find an easy access point accept through the front door. Formulating a plan to breach hospital security Naruto studied the local clothing and found a secluded back alley in order to create a Kage Bunshin to help pull off his plan. Using a hengen, the clone took the form of an injured old Suna man leaning heavily on Naruto who had transformed himself into a teenaged Suna girl they made their way to the hospital where Naruto cried for help.

"Can someone help me please; my grandfather has injured his hip and I can barely support him." Naruto squeaked."

One of the guards rushed to Naruto's aid helping him to escort his clone inside where a junior medical ninja acting as a nurse ushered them into a room until he could retrieve one of his seniors. Behind the closed doors of the small patient room Naruto created as many Kage Bunshin as he could before checking to see if the halls were clear. Spotting no one, Naruto and his clones filed out of the room quietly in search of Kankurou. Fifteen minutes passed before anyone discovered the old man and his granddaughter missing. Noticing the rise in the level of security Naruto hurried from room to room in search of Kankurou when a flicker of comprehension befell him; one of his clones had found Kankurou and dispelled himself in order to relay the location. Naruto found a fire exit and quickly dashed up the stairs to the third floor. He opened the door just enough to peak through and found no one. Naruto walked into the corridor when one of the guards searching for him turned the corner spotting him. Naruto ran down the hall to where his clone had dispelled with the guard nipping at his heals as he burst into the room. The guard attempted to tackle Naruto but he side stepped and the guard fell to the ground where he laid pinned down by Naruto with a foot pressed to his back. Naruto attempted to explain the situation when two more guards burst into the room ready to tackle him; Naruto stood on top of the pinned guard and spun to face his new would be attackers assuming a fighting stance.

"Long time no see Naruto." Kakashi said restraining the two guards before they could attack.

"Who are you, and why did you call me Naruto?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sakura with the help of the Suna medical ninja had uncovered the type of poison used on Kankurou and developed an antidote. She made her way to Kankurou's room to administer the counter agent but was barred from entering by the figure of Kakashi holding two Suna guards at bay.

"I need to administer this antidote to Kankurou before all my work is in vain. Please move." Sakura barked.

Startled by the unspoken threat of Sakura's polite request the guards and Kakashi moved aside allowing her to enter. Sakura stood stunned as her gaze rested upon Naruto. Unmoving she stared from Naruto to Kakashi. Kakashi nodded his head silently reassuring her that this was no dream. An unconscious and coughing Kankurou brought Sakura back from her trance and she hurried to his side administering the antidote. Finished, she rushed Naruto, tears rolled down her cheeks as she hugged him ferociously. To Naruto the embrace felt like touching a live wire. He grabbed Sakura firmly by the shoulders and held her at arm's length as memories poured into his mind unyieldingly. The memories of him tied to a pole as he was fed by a boy and this girl, of the masked man fighting to protect them against a fearsome opponent, memories upon memories came unbidden to the forefront of his consciousness. Memories of people, places, and the names that went with them flooded his mind with no end until the image of a ferocious beast roared angrily as he was caged with no hope of escape. The image was so vivid, so frightening, and felt so real that Naruto involuntarily took a step back causing him to stumble over the guard he had subdued. Sakura caught him before he fell.

"Naruto, are you okay? "

"Never better Sakura–chan." Naruto quivered

It was an hour before Kankurou regained consciousness and relayed the direction the two Akatsuki members had fled. Team seven using a map plotted the most likely location in which they were headed and were about to leave with Naruto in tow.

"Naruto please bring my brother home." Kankurou said pleadingly "You are the only one who can."

Kankurou's words caught the curiosity of Suna's legendary Konoichi Chiyo- baas-sama, aged but still as spritely as ever she wanted to find out what type of person could inspire such hope, and volunteered to accompany them under the guise that she wished to see her grandson at least once more before departing from this world. All the lingering questions about Naruto's disappearance would have to wait as the rescue mission commenced.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Outside the gates of Suna Kakashi summoned one of his ninja hounds and sent him with news of Naruto's return and the direction in which they pursued the two Akatsuki members back to Konoha.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Team seven had traveled a considerable distance before Kakashi halted them for a short rest. The idea of rest bothered Naruto, Kankurou's pleading look was etched into his mind and even though some memories from his past were still a little fuzzy every time Naruto thought of Gaara Naruto could see a sense of loneliness and a yearning to belong held within his eyes. It was a feeling he knew all too well forming a connection between the two young men which he could not explain or express.

"Why are we resting when we are already so far behind?" Naruto voiced anxiously, fidgeting.

"Naruto not everyone has your stamina, and facing our enemies while fatigued knowing the caliber of ninja they are and not knowing what they have lying in wait for us would be a foolish thing to do." Kakashi explained patiently.

"Forgive me not knowing makes me a little sensitive from time to time." Naruto explained apologetically.

"What is Naruto's story? Why is he so anxious to save Gaara when they are not even from the same village?" inquired Chiyo.

"Like Gaara Naruto to is a Jinchuuriki. They may have been born into different villages, but Jinchuuriki are pretty much treated the same no matter where they are raised. Naruto has a mysterious power to make friends and inspire others no matter which village they come from." Kakashi explained. "And Gaara is one of the few people that Naruto can truly relate to. You know Naruto's dream is to become Hokage, but because he left to travel the world and trained away from the village he is still only a genin. When he returned to the village he found out that all his friends had surpassed him and Gaara had become Kazekage. Though it hurt to see everyone surpassing him he was genuinely happy for his friends, Gaara especially." Although Kakashi did not know if all of Naruto's memories had returned and though Naruto had been missing for six months he surmised that somewhere deep in his subconscious Naruto still felt the same. Finished speaking he left Chiyo to find a spot to rest.

Chiyo–Baassama looked at Naruto as if seeing him for the first time and then joined her team mates in choosing a spot to retire for a short rest.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Day would turn to night when Kakashi's message reached the hands of the Hokage. Tsunade receiving Kakashi's message sent Team Gai as backup after briefing them on the particulars. Pakun the ninja hound Kakashi sent to relay the message would guide them to Team seven's location.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Revitalized after their rest team Kakashi renewed their pursuit; the two Akatsuki members had reached the layer two days earlier and had begun the extraction of the bijuu sealed within Gaara with their fellow members.

Almost upon their enemies, team Kakashi met resistance in the form of one Uchiha, Itachi. Naruto stared at the visage of Itachi and was bombarded by vivid images. (Flash)He was trying to return to the side of a white haired man, but found Itachi coughing and gagging instead.

(Flash) He was forming multiple hand signs while summoning three different types of Kage Bunshin sending them in waves at a shark like man with pale blue skin to no avail. (Flash) He was forming hand signs and whispered Senbon Ryoushi; exploding tags transformed into needles shooting after the shark like man as he fell into water, there was an explosion.

(Flash) He was losing blood and fighting to stay conscious as the shark like man towered over him mocking him, angering him.

(Flash) He was in a cold, dark place; he heard his name and then those eyes appeared ones he hasn't seen since that night long ago in his mountain home.

(Flash) Reality returned the images gone just as fast as they appeared. All eyes were on Naruto as he yelled in a guttural tone "ITACHI!" and charged.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 7:** To Defeat an Uchiha

Kakashi moved to stop Naruto, but was too late; he had already closed the distance and begun attacking Itachi. Naruto leapt in with a right handed superman punch. Itachi nonchalantly side stepped to the left and twisting his body threw a left hand punch. Naruto took a wide step to the left and spun on the ball of his foot to face Itachi. Throwing out his right hand in a grabbing block, he secured Itachi's left hand and pulled transferring all his weight to his left leg and slid his right leg back up and around in an arcing kick to Itachi's face, but Itachi avoided the kick by springing up into a cartwheel flip as Naruto pulled his arm. At the epicenter of his flip Itachi latched onto Naruto's arm and pulled it behind him; Naruto reversed Itachi's hold by mimicking his cartwheel flip. Itachi anticipating the movement thrust his right leg straight up as Naruto reached the pinnacle of his flip. Naruto countered Itachi by striking the center of his foot with the extended middle knuckle of his index finger. Itachi released his grip on Naruto as he landed. Ignoring the pain in his foot he lashed out with a side kick, but instead of landing on his feet Naruto immediately tucked into a backward role and moved into a series of flips landing him beside Kakashi. Team Kakashi can't help but to admire the fluid exchange and Sakura is awed by Naruto's improved taijutsu skills.

"Nice exchange, but what if it was a trap? You jeopardized not only yourself but your team as well engaging Itachi as you did." Kakashi said coolly.

"Sorry Kakashi – senpai. It won't happen again." Naruto silently chastised himself for losing control.

Itachi in a dazzling display of speed separated Naruto from Kakashi and turned to face him pointing.

"You will be coming with me."

"Where have I heard that before?" Naruto drawled.

What Naruto failed to realize was that between regaining his composure and avoiding Itachi he had been placed under a genjutsu.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Itachi attacked Naruto with a Kunai. Naruto drawing his own kunai parried the strike and jumped away throwing shuriken as he retreated, one shuriken after another found their target embedding themselves in Itachi's chest and he fell to his knees; as Naruto approached, Itachi transformed into a murder of crows and flew away into the sky before reforming himself. Naruto defeated Itachi once more only to have him disperse into a murder of crows once again; closing his eyes Naruto focused on his breath.

"Something is wrong." Naruto thought as he slowed his breathe even further.

Naruto emptied his mind until all that existed was himself, and that is when he saw it, the foreign chakra which had invaded his mind and bent his will. Commanding him to see what it wanted him to, feel what it wanted him to, Naruto severed the connections to his chakra coils cutting his chakra off completely and waited a few seconds before flooding his chakra coils with an intense explosion of chakra. It would have succeeded if the person he faced was a normal genjutsu user; it would have succeeded had the person he faced been an exceptional genjutsu user as well, but Itachi was much more. He was an extraordinary genjutsu user who's likely only to be seen once in every few generations, and his skills were to be respected and feared.

"You have grown even more in these last six months Naruto, but it is still not good enough." Itachi thought.

Naruto checked to see if he had expelled the foreign chakra, but saw that he was still under the influence of Itachi's genjutsu.

Naruto entered a state of shock when a figure of Sasuke grew from his body and turned to face him.

"You are worthless Naruto. Look at you, all that training and for what? You still can't save anyone. You're weak! I thought you were supposed to rescue me from the clutches of Orichimaru, but what good are you when you can't even save yourself. You are a loser Naruto and you might as well die." Sasuke said in the most malicious yet dulcet voice.

He grabbed Naruto by the throat and began choking him. Naruto gasped Sasuke's name as he struggled to free himself.

**XXXXXXXXXX ****Flashback**** XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Master what should I do if I am all alone and I am trapped in a genjutsu that I can't dispel?"

"Say goodbye because the person who placed you in the genjutsu is truly gifted and is going to kill you."

"Is there no way to free yourself from the genjutsu other than dispelling it with your chakra or the help of a team mate? Isn't there a way in which I could use my training in chakra sensitivity to help me out?"

Yoshikawa smiled at his pupil who finally was beginning to use his tactical mind for more than just pranks and figuring out how to get close to someone so he could pummel them to death. In grasping at the obscure through his question he had proven himself ready to learn the true unique nature of his chakra sensitivity training.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yoshikawa's house had spent countless generations trying to figure out how to compete with those unique qualities possessed by the few kekegenkai and doujutsu users of the world. They wanted to create an art that would help their clansmen truly level the playing field, but one that could not be copied by those such as the Uchiha clan whose sharingan eye could copy all but a kekegenkai. The skill they developed had only ever been written down once, but because someone attempted to steal it from them the clans Daimyo ordered the scroll burned, but not before preserving the knowledge through a select group of people within the clan. In order to ensure that the secrets of their art could never be stolen again, knowledge of the art was taught from clansmen to clansmen through a rigorous training regime with the true reason for the arduous training known only by the Master. He or she would only be allowed to reveal one facet of the art to their students during training until a Council of Masters was held and the students proved themselves worthy of the knowledge of their clans most closely guarded treasure through a series of test somewhat similar in formatting to the chuunin exams.

The intelligence community of the clan always speculated that those who tried to steal the scroll where from the Uchiha clan, and who could blame them for trying; the art was forged through trial and era after many bloody battles between his clan and theirs, but then again it was the time of the great ninja wars, and like every other clan they fought for power and recognition.

Yoshikawa's family, were among the most gifted in the learning and teaching of the art. For this reason, they were held in the highest regard within their clan. It was still hard for Yoshikawa to believe that he was the last of his clan. Tragedy led him to believe that when he died his unique art, the art of his people would pass with him, but today fate had revealed this boy and though he held no relation to him through blood or clan. Through him their legacy would continue because today Yoshikawa had found him worthy.

"I suppose there might be away if one looked hard enough." Yoshikawa said in a whimsical manner.

**XXXXXXXXXXX End Flashback XXXXXXXXXXX**

Kakashi's attention never left Itachi as he worked his way to Naruto in order to share with him a plan of attack. Naruto faded into nothing reappearing in the air behind Itachi. Kakashi blinked unable to explain exactly when or how Naruto left his side. What he and the rest of team seven found even more unbelievable was Itachi's lack of reaction. While in the air Naruto formed a larger version of the Rasengan into his right hand. "Odama Rasengen!" Naruto yelled thrusting the powerful jutsu into Itachi. The explosion created made a huge dust cloud and sent debris flying everywhere; when everything settled team Kakashi would not be able to explain why an unknown ninja was found lying inside the crater in Itachi's place.


	8. Chapter 8

**I don't know how much longer I will be able to keep up with this pace I began, but for now enjoy and Merry what ever your holiday of choice is :O) Mine is Kanishmas. CHOWDER!**

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 8:** The Akatsuki Hide Out: Knock, Knock Guess Who?

Team Kakashi and Gai finally arrived at the suspected Akatsuki headquarters and discovered a five point barrier, confirming their suspicions. Kakashi explained the uniqueness of the five point barrier, and Team Gai volunteered for the duty of locating and removing the other four seals. Through the use of his Byakugan Neji found the seals spread throughout various locals the closest one was eight kilometers (4.96 miles) away so they had to move swiftly if they were going to break the barrier in time to save Gaara. Once they reached their respective seals they would synchronize the removal of the seals through the use of miniature transmitters which fit inside the ear.

Twenty minutes passed before each member of team Gai had reached their respective destinations and radioed in. Kakashi started a count down from three and on one they simultaneously removed their seals. Successfully dispelling the five point barrier seal Sakura stepped forward and using the monstrous strength she had gained while under the tutelage of the fifth Hokage she destroyed the huge boulder blocking the entrance to the Akatsuki layer in one punch. Dust and debris flew everywhere which team Kakashi used to cover their entrance each one taking positions spread out on opposite sides of the cave wall. As the dust settled team Kakashi scanned the cave interior and only found Sasori standing next to Deidara who sat on the lifeless body of Suna's Kazekage, Gaara.

Naruto's eyes fell upon the lifeless body of Gaara and it felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. He stood there assaulted by unbidden memories from his past. Two boys locked in a heated battle. One lied lifeless on the floor before him. The other was a young and very naïve Naruto, Uzumaki. They fought out of anger; as they pummeled each other that anger transformed to fear which then became enlightened resolve. They fought until they could fight no more neither one backing down because both had something to prove. In the end the blood they spilt would water the seed of understanding growing a tree of friendship whose roots would form an unbreakable bond between the two, and now one of the few persons he considered to be dear to him laid before him, dead or alive he could not tell, but if he was alive he wouldn't be for long unless they wrestled him from the grasp of his tormentors.

To Naruto it felt like Sai had read his mind because he quickly whipped out a scroll and drew beast upon it.

"Choju Giga" (Super Beast Imitations Picture) Sai cried

The beast leapt from the page attacking the two Akatsuki members. Naruto seeing his chance put his make shift plan into action.

"Now" Naruto shouted while Sasori was preoccupied with dispelling the ink beast; random debris surrounding the two Akatsuki members transformed into Naruto's Kage Bunshin and leapt into the fray. After defeating the ink beast, Sasori was able to dispatch all but two of the clones forcing Deidara to defend himself. He drew his kunai deflecting the shuriken of one and blocked the kunai of the other. Sasori cut the clone who threw the shuriken in half with Hiruko's scorpion tail while Deidara defeated the other with a side kick to its gut and sat back down.

"And here I thought we would at least have time for some small talk." Deidara said in a casual tone. "Which one of you is the Jinchuuriki from Konoha?"

"If this is the best you can do, then I think perhaps you should just hand over the Jinchuuriki and destroy yourselves to save us some time. I would hate to lose that time seeing as I could put it to use in better endeavors." Sasori said smugly.

"Who said we were done?" Naruto said confidently forming hand signs. "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no jutsu." hundreds of Naruto's burst into reality.

"If we can't engage in small talk at least we can have some fun. Eh, Sasori-sama?"

"My time is much too precious for me to squander, but perhaps once I have my new puppet I will think differently. What do you say obaasan?" Sasori voiced venomously.

Sasori attacked the army of shadow clones with his puppet's tale destroying many of them, but not before they complete the task Naruto summoned them for, numerous paper tags could be seen floating in the air some explosive some not. Naruto knew that if all the tags had been explosive the concussive force of the explosion would collapse the cave burying them all. The share numbers of paper tags where meant only to distract, and it worked. Naruto formed hand signs and whispered Senbon Ryoushi as the eyes of his captive audience watched the papers twist themselves into needles which floated suspended in the air. Finished watching the performance all eyes shifted from the suspended senbon needles to Naruto who was now pointing at the Akatsuki members.

"Ike." Naruto's simple command sent the suspended ceiling of senbon needles rushing forward; both Akatsuki members reacting instinctually leapt backwards forgetting the body of Gaara, focused on the needles seeking to bury themselves within their flesh. As they flipped, rolled, and jumped to avoid the needles hunting them Naruto's few remaining clones sprung into action quickly retrieving the lifeless body of Gaara and retreated searching for a secure place to hide Gaara until team Kakashi could finish dealing with their current predicament.

Sasori recklessly used his tail to swat the hunter needles chasing him setting off enough of the explosive tags to create a blast that partially collapsed the cave burying him in a mountain of debris of various sizes. Deidara noticing what had befallen his partner seized his moment and escaped to the outside conjuring a huge clay bird to propel him air born all the while avoiding contact with the senbon needles. Deidara fed his right hand explosive clay creating miniature birds and slowed down allowing the needles to close the distance he had gained before releasing them destroying all the needles which were chasing him. Freed from his distraction he set his clay bird to hover as he devised a plan to draw Naruto to him. Surveying the land below, Deidara found his answer in two clones carrying a lifeless body. Swooping down upon the clones he dispatched them with kunai and snatched Gaara climbing back into the air and gaining some distance before calling to Naruto.

"Oy, Boy! Nice technique, but amateurish when compared to me. Would you like the body of your friend? Come and get it if you can." Deidara taunted.

Naruto rushed outside with team Kakashi following and saw Gaara's body dangling in the mouth of a huge clay bird.

"Damn!" Naruto muttered.

Kakashi stood beside Naruto glancing over to take stock of his demeanor not wanting a repeat of their battle with Itachi. Gazing upon Naruto he could not help but think of how much Naruto had changed. The strategy and jutsu's he performed along with the restraint he displayed at the site of his friend dangling in the mouth of a huge clay pigeon were proof to Kakashi that the child he once new had undergone much growth in the two and a half years since last they met.

The momentary distraction provided by Deidara was all Sasori needed to free himself from the mountainous debris covering him. His puppet Hiruko destroyed from the blast and being buried angered Sasori, who shot out a poison cable from his belly aimed at Naruto for the destruction of his puppet Hiruko, but as the cable neared his head Naruto spun away and Sakura caught the cable. Deidara took the action as his cue to exit. Chiyo-Baa-sama urged them to leave Sasori to her and Sakura and to chase Deidara down. Naruto glanced at Sakura his face revealing appreciation as he leapt into action with Kakashi and Sai close behind.

"Naruto wait." Naruto halted at Kakashi's request.

Reaching Naruto, Kakashi explained the difficulty of fighting a distance fighter like Deidara, outlining a plan to subdue their foe and rescue Gaara. Naruto threw explosive tags into the air. "Senbon Ryoushi," he said forming hand signs transforming the explosive tags into hunter needles that darted after Deidara setting Kakashi's plan into motion. Deidara's bird went into evasive maneuvers, diving to gain speed as he fed his hand explosive clay, forming more bird bombs to destroy the explosive hunter needles chasing him. Not being one to stay on the defensive, he also took proactive measures creating small clay cricket explosives but before he could release them he was attacked by ink black birds courtesy of Sai. Shooting skyward Deidara sent shuriken flying after the birds destroying them all. The distraction created by Sai's ink birds allowed Naruto to form more Senbon Ryoushi once again forcing Deidara to take the defensive. Kakashi, finally ready to unleash his plan, lifted his head band and displaying his sharingan eye opened a dimensional rift and attempted to suck Deidara in but was only successful in trapping part of his cloak.

"I am still unable to properly direct it or control the size." Kakashi thought as he attempted once more to end Deidara's life and failed, but claiming Deidara's left arm he was able to gain a partial victory.

The loss of his arm sent Deidara crashing to the ground in a momentary blur of pain. Reaching the crash sight, Kakashi and Sai concealed themselves within a tree searching for Deidara. Naruto forming Kage Bunshin ran to the clay pigeon leaving Kakashi and Sai to worry about Deidara while he worked to free Gaara who was buried under a pile of clay. Freeing Gaara from the clay, Naruto could discern no pulse. He was to late, Gaara was dead. The loss of his friend sent the world spinning as grief overwhelmed him, and then everything turned black.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sound of dripping water could be heard as Naruto stood before a huge cage with a large seal.

"**It's about time you remember me boy!"** growled the Kyuubi.

A devilish grin and huge eyes shown through the cage, "This is just a dream, just some crazy dream." Naruto tells himself slowly backing away.

"**I am no dream boy! Obviously your feeble mind is still addled allow me to help you remember****!**" the Kyuubi growled. His voice reverberated through Naruto's mindscape sending chills down his spine.

Red Chakra leaked through the gates racing toward Naruto, who sought to escape but failed and he was enveloped by the Kyuubi's malevolent chakra. A demonic rage took hold of Naruto's mind demanding the destruction of all and the blood of any who got in his way.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kakashi and Sai looked on in astonishment as red chakra leaked from Naruto's body wrapping itself around him like a second skin.

"This must be what Jiraiya was talking about when he gave me the seal." Kakashi thought as he retrieved a seal from under his vest.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX Flashback XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"What happened?" Kakashi asked Jiraiya.

"There are only a few times when I have been close to death. One of them was thanks to Tsunade and her inhuman strength when she caught me peeking into the woman's side of the hotsprings while she was soaking. The other was my battle with Naruto just before he disappeared. I know you are an active participant in the search for Naruto Kakashi; so I am giving you this to use just in case you find Naruto and he is not himself."

"What does that mean?"

"Should Naruto's emotions overwhelm him more specifically anger he forms what I call the fox's cloak. The Kyuubi's chakra covers his body entirely. As long as he is calm he is able to maintain some control until the fourth tail appears. Once that happens he is more beast than man and will attack anyone regardless of the bonds they might have with him. I created that seal to dispel the Kyuubi's hold over Naruto. All you need to do is place it on his forehead the seal will do the rest."

**XXXXXXXXXXXX End Flashback XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto roared ferociously as the chakra finished enveloping him. He lashed out at nearby forest with a hand made purely from the Kyuubi's demonic chakra felling a slew of trees in one blow. Deidara used the moment of chaos created from Naruto's rage to release his explosive cricket army. He sent six after Sai and Kakashi who were too preoccupied with the demonic chakra covered Naruto and the effortless destruction he had just unleashed to notice the small clay bugs. The bugs split into two groups of three one group targeted Sai the other targeted Kakashi; the crickets exploded and sent them hurling through the air. Covering up and jumping backwards at the last second, Kakashi and Sai were able to escape virtually unscathed from the explosion only suffering from minor cuts, scrapes, and a slight ringing in their ear. Naruto whirled around at the sound of the explosion and was greeted by a multitude of miniature exploding crickets numbering somewhere in the twenties or thirties. The crickets though small in stature created a grand explosion when united which pleased Deidara immensely.

"Now I will just claim my prize and be on my way. For someone who doesn't like the wasting of time Sasori-sama sure is squandering it away with the old hag and her baby." Deidara thought.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sasori stood in front of Sakura and Chiyo-Baa-sama impaled by two of his own puppets; before death claimed him he rewarded Sakura for defeating him. He told her of the spy he had planted within Orochimaru's organization and where they were to meet within two weeks time Finished with his tale Sasori fell into eternal slumber and Sakura and Chiyo-Baa-sama left him in search of Naruto and the others. Hearing what sounded like thunder and spotting a mushroom cloud they rush forward as fast as they could after suffering great injury at the hand of Sasori and his puppet army.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Team Gai finally managing to overcome evil versions of them selves created when they released the five point barrier seals rush toward a mushroom cloud deducing that that was where their comrades would be.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Deidara went to claim his prize when a chakra hand shot out clawing at him. He jumped up avoiding the chakra claw and was greeted by the image of one very angry and uninjured Jinchuuriki covered in a fox shaped chakra with two tails. Naruto screamed as he shot forward with blinding speed tearing off Deidara's final arm; turning, he rushed Deidara again who had no way to defend himself against the enraged Jinchuuriki. Naruto batted Deidara into the air and reappeared above him releasing a barrage of staggering punches that would have crippled any man.

Before Kyuubi Naruto could do any more damage to him, Deidara formed a Kawarimi (substitution) in his stead. Kyuubi Naruto came crashing down on top of the Kawarimi thrusting a rasengen into the substitution creating a small crater as a third tail formed. Kakashi and Sai dusted themselves off and rushed to the clearing where Naruto was battling Deidara. Kakashi coming to stand beside one of Naruto's Kage Bunshin noticed it bent over in agony. Spotting Naruto Kakashi saw a third tail had begun to form and quickly maneuvered behind him as he continued to pummel the clay substitution relentlessly slapping the seal on his forehead. When the Kyuubi's control broke, Naruto fainted and Kakashi caught him before he fell to the ground. Sakura and Chiyo- Baa-sama finally arrived surveying the destruction all around them.

"Naruto!" screamed Sakura.

"He is fine just a little worn down." Kakashi assured Sakura.

"What happened to the other member of Akatsuki?" inquired Chiyo-Baa-sama

"Escaped" was Sai's reply.

"I see. And where is Gaara?"

"He is lying over there by the mound of clay. He…..." Naruto could not finish. Chiyo–Baa-sama saw the sorrow within his eyes and nodded her understanding. Deidara spying on the events decided that it was time to take his leave.

"I can't believe the old hag and the baby defeated Sasori-sama. It will be impossible for me to subdue the Jinchuuriki now that I have lost both my limbs and am outnumbered. I think I saw the arm Kakashi cost me fall somewhere halfway between here and the caves. I guess I will take my leave and retrieve my arm if I can." thought Deidara as he backed away; turning to leave he was met by team Gai.

"It would seem luck has deserted me this day."

"Surrender there is nowhere for you to run." Lee said excitedly.

Deidara realizing that he was surrounded went into evasive action. Jumping from tree to tree and dodging attacks. Knowing he would eventually be caught he ran toward the downed clay pigeon and ate a mouthful of explosive clay.

"Allow me to introduce you to my most beautiful work of art and my greatest master piece." Deidara said as his body began to expand.

Activating his Byakugan Neji analyzed Deidara's chakra coils and noticed that it was all being gathered to one focal point. "Everyone take cover he is going to explode!"

Kakashi knew there wasn't enough time to escape and channeled his last reserves of chakra into his Sharingan in a last ditch effort to suck the bomb into another dimension.

"What was that?" Sakura asked astounded.

"I sent the explosion into another dimension." Kakashi explained exhaustedly.

"I would expect nothing less from my number one rival." Gai thought proudly.

Naruto knelt beside Gaara crying uncontrollably at the site of his dead friend whom he had just remembered.

"Why? He was the Kazekage the most powerful ninja of his village. What good was all my training if I can't even protect those precious to me? After all my training I am still too weak to protect anyone. Why does it always end this way? I couldn't protect Sasuke. I couldn't save Gaara. I couldn't keep any of my promises no matter how hard I tried. Why?"

"Calm yourself Naruto." Chiyo-Baa-sama said.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!! It's your fault this happened! I remember…. I remember the loneliness. I remember wanting to be accepted, to be loved. I remember the hatred. Do you even know the burden you forced him to carry? WHAT RIGHT DID YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU DID!! Did you even consider what it would be like for us or what we would want? NO, YOU DIDN'T, DID YOU!! As long as you got your weapon, you really didn't care to think about anything. You call us monsters, but the monsters are you!" Naruto yelled.

Turning his back to everyone Naruto closes his eyes and focuses on his breathe as he slowly regained control of his emotions, Chiyo-Baasama walked over and knelt down beside Gaara. Placing her hands on his chest she performed a jutsu that few knew and only she could perform. The cost of the jutsu was great, but she gladly paid it to atone for all the mistakes she made during her life. Naruto confused by her action looked on silently as Elder Chiyo continued to pump her life's chakra into Gaara.

"Chiyo-Baasama that technique…!" yelled Sakura, but she grew silent when Chiyo-Baa-sama threw a quick smile over her shoulder.

Naruto seeing Chiyo-Baa-sama beginning to struggle walked over and placed his hands out in front of her.

"Please use my chakra. I don't care how much you take even if it costs me my life."

Chiyo-Baa-sama's eyes widen in surprise at Naruto's nonchalant offer of his life for someone who was not even from his clan; remembering what Kakashi told her a small smile replaced the stern face of concentration as she accepted his offer.

"Place your hands atop of mine. You know Naruto, I am happy that a soul like you has come to exist in this world, for a long time I have fought and done things for the sake of my clan. All of them wrong; in the end I might be able to do something right. Sakura next time save those precious to you instead of wasting your efforts on an old hag. You will definitely become an even greater Konoichi then your master. You are a lot like me when I was young Sakura. Live free and be happy. This special power you wield will change this world of ours dramatically Naruto, far more than anything us petty old folks have done. My wish is that you become a Hokage the likes of which have never been seen. Suna, Konoha may their future be something different from our time. I have a favor to ask of you Naruto. Save Gaara; he is the only one who understands your pain and you understand his." Those were the last words Suna's legendary Konoichi breathed as she exchanged her life for the life of Gaara her jutsu complete.

Naruto deeply moved by Chiyo-Baa-sama's sentiment silently promised to accomplish her wish. Naruto gently shook Gaara calling his name as what appeared to be the whole sand village arrived to aid their Kazekage.

"Naruto, What is all this?"

"You had us worried so we all came running to your rescue."

"You sure did cause us a lot of grief little brother." Said a relieved and happy Kankurou

(that is ninja happy which is stoic not to be confused with Barbie happy which is giddy and over the top.)

"Show some respect, Gaara is the Kazekage you brats." shouted Tamari in motherly outrage.

"Thank you Naruto." Kankurou said turning to Naruto.

"It's not me you want to thank. It's Granny she is the one that performed that awesome medical jutsu that saved Gaara's life, but I think you are going to have to wait because she passed out from all the exertion."

"Did she use that jutsu?!" Kankurou whispered softly to himself.

Naruto startled by Kankurou's reaction questioned him. Kankurou explained the history behind the jutsu Chiyo had performed and its inherent cost. Hearing this Naruto grew quite as the memory of another who sacrificed his life so that others could live surfaced in his mind. Kakashi tells him that it was a death well befitting of a shinobi. Naruto nodded his understanding and then caught Gaara by the arm helping him to stand. Gaara called for a moment of reverent prayer for the late Chiyo-Baa-sama and all who were there bowed their heads in silent prayer before escorting one of the world's greatest konoichi back to Suna for her burial.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 9: Konoha: Long Time No See Return of the Missing Nin

Two weeks have passed since team Kakashi and team Gai left Konoha to aid Suna, and they are eager to return home with their newest member in tow and the intelligence Sakura had been able to retrieve from Sasori before his death. They only stayed long enough to pay their last respects to elder Chiyo-Baa-sama.

"Are you sure you don't want to rest a little longer? Especially with the condition you are in Kakashi-san." Temari asked respectfully.

"Thank you for the offer but I am fine. I have very reliable friends, besides we need to return home as soon as possible, there are things which must be discussed with Hokage-sama. I will find time to rest along the way." Kakashi replied.

Temari and Kankurou escorted them out thanking them for all they had done. Gaara followed silently behind them. Naruto uncertain of how to proceed exchanged an awkward moment of farewell with Gaara who finally ended it with a handshake. Smiling warmly at his Suna friend Naruto turned and began his journey home to Konoha with Kakashi and the others. Naruto would spend the rest of his day silently contemplating all of the events which have transpired. Covering over a quarter of the journey both teams decided to eat and rest before continuing home. Naruto found a spot away from the others so he could continue to sort through his rediscovered memories and the overwhelming emotions they invoked privately without interruption. He couldn't help but think of Master Yoshikawa and how he would have subjected him to some type of extreme training as punishment for losing the very control he promised to keep. Naruto missing the wisdom of his Master decided to honor his teachings and found a clearing out of sight; creating as many Kage Bunshin as he could, he paired them up one doing handstand pushups while the other sat balancing on top of their legs and practiced their breathing techniques. He started his training with pushups as both he and his clones meditated on the reason for his loss of emotional control during his battles. They would switch between positions once two hundred handstand pushups where reached. He would continue this for one and a half hours before stopping to eat and rest, their pit stop only being four hours long.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sakura thoughts drifted to Naruto and his well being and she left in search of him. Sai was propped up against a rock and reading a book when he noticed Sakura leaving; feigning disinterest he continued reading.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX ****Flashback** **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I have set it up so that you will be a member of team Kakashi. Not only are you about the same age as Uzumaki Naruto, but you are also the strongest amongst your peers your skills second to none. Until your mission is complete your name will be Sai. Danzou said with authority.

"Sai?" The Anbu Root agent said smiling.

"Don't make insincere smiles like that in my presence." Chastised Danzou.

"Forgive me. I read in a text that the first step into someone's heart is through a smile, but I am still having trouble displaying emotions properly even after practice." Sai said in an attempted apologetic tone.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX End ****Flashback** **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto sensing someone's approach dispelled all but one Kage Bunshin which he left meditating in the clearing while he hid himself and thought of the best strategy to deploy should his uninvited guest prove to be hostile when Sakura stumbled into the clearing.

"Naruto here you are. You shouldn't be so far from the camp site, especially after recent events. It is best if we all stay in a group. Sakura said looking for a way to break the ice.

"I came out here for a little privacy so I could think, and we are not that far away from the camp; you know, you shouldn't let your guard down especially after recent events." Naruto said exhaling and opening his eyes.

"Who says my guards lowered?"

Naruto crept up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. Poof, the Kage Bunshin disappeared.

"Me."

"When did you…" Sakura asked after jumping up and spinning around in a defensive position startled.

"Doesn't really matter. I think we should head back; we only have a short time before we have to take off again. Let's go." Naruto said cutting her off.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Their small repose finished. Tenten and Sakura taunt Gai for moving so slow while supporting Kakashi; irritated and at his limit, Gai threw Kakashi on his back piggy back style which everyone found uncomfortable and weird except for Lee who was ecstatic about his Masters new idea for training to the dismay of his peers. "Ha, ha, ha, the springtime of youth knows no fear, which of you dares to take up my challenge and defeat me in a race to Konoha. I will do one thousand laps around Konoha should I lose." Gai said as he took off in an unimaginable burst of speed. The gate guards heard what sounded like a stampede and searched for the cause when Gai sped to a halt as he passed the entry way.

"Ha, ha, ha, first" came Gai's cry.

"SECOND!" yelled Lee exuberantly.

"I am very proud of you my most beloved student, but I have some sad news for you Lee. You miscalculated; you did not come in second. Instead, you came in THIRD!" Gai said dramatically. Lee's jaw drops and his eyes bulge anime style as he screamed "NOOOO!"

"Kakashi came in second." Gai continued. "You were very fortunate to have me carry you Kakashi-san. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! I suggest you take this lesson and allow it to motivate you to become stronger. Now go my pupil, and let your spring time of youth flow freely so that you may gain the strength to never let this happen again. Gai said giving him a thumbs up and a Colgate smile.

"Hai!" Lee yelled enthusiastically as he sped off to begin his training laps around Konoha for losing to Gai and Kakashi-sensei.

"Yosh, now to report to Hokage- sama."

"Gai-sensei, shouldn't we take care of Kakashi-sensei first." Sakura said to the excited and absent minded Gai who nodded his head and sped off to the infirmary.

Naruto stood before the gates listening to echoes of the past as his comrades passed him by in search of a well deserved meal and rest, only Sakura noticed his absence. Naruto gazed off into the distance as his mind relived the life he had forgotten. All the joys, all the pains, and the determination that sprung forth because of it. What happened to him; how could he have ever forgotten? Why could he still not recall everything?

"He would know what I can't remember. I need to find him, but where do I begin?" Naruto thought to himself. Sakura's voice brought him out of his trance "Naruto what are you waiting for?"

"To wake up. I have lived my last six months without a past and now….it is like a dream. I have a home. I have friends. I have an identity…. My memories are still a little shattered Sakura will you show me to my place so I can freshen up and then to the Hokage tower. I am guessing that she is going to want to speak to me and I just want to get it over with."

"Sure." Sakura said quietly taken aback at Naruto's request, but it was more than that she was suffering from a mild state of shock over his presence, his demeanor, and mostly over his personality; he had changed so much since last they met. When she found out the news that Naruto had disappeared she had thought the worst and felt guilty for not being vigorous enough to help. She knew he was pushing himself to the limits. She knew he felt guilty over not having the strength to stop Sasuke from running off to Orochimaru, and she had made it worse by crying and begging him to bring Sasuke back. Why did she have to go and add that extra bit of pressure? She knew Naruto would go after Sasuke they were team mates, and more than that Sasuke was almost like a brother to him. Why had she been so weak? If it wasn't for Tsunade-sama accepting her as her student, and the distraction provided by her Master's extreme training regime she would have broken down completely, but those demons belonged to the past. Who she was then was not who she was now. She used those negative thoughts as fuel to transform herself into a more than adept medical ninja with still evolving, and almost above average ninja skills even if she said so herself. She vowed to grow even stronger in order to protect all those precious to her.

While walking Naruto home Sakura realized that with all that had happened she had never really taken in his visage as a whole. She discretely peeked at his profile and noticed that he was taller than her by four or five inches. The countenance on his face was one of calm mingled with fatigue and he carried a make shift pack of some sort slung cross bodied from his right shoulder to his left hip. He was wearing dark brown moccasin style shoes. The rest of his features were too well hidden underneath a slightly worn heal length mud colored travel cloak to notice. Reaching the apartment door, Sakura stepped to the side. "Here you are. I will meet you out front in one hour. You are not the only one who needs to freshen up. "

"Sakura…."

"Yes Naruto."

"Urgh…Thanks."

Sakura smiled then turned and left for her own home. Naruto opened the door and peered into the small one bedroom apartment. Before entering the place he once called home, he watched the phantom of a boy in an orange jump suite pass by the door on his way to the small make shift kitchen. Stepping in Naruto saw the phantom at a table where scrolls on all types of ninjutsu were opened and strewn about covering it like a mosaic. As the images faded, Naruto made his way to the closet, and opened the door. Smiling he pulled out a loud orange jacket, it was hard to believe the lengths he went to just to gain attention. Placing the orange jacket back in the closet he retrieved a clean set of clothes from his pack laid them out on the bed and found his way to the bathroom for a long over do shower.

One hour came and went in the blink of an eye and Naruto stood outside his apartment waiting for Sakura. Before they left to Suna, Master Yoshikawa had Naruto pack one set of tactical yet casual style clothing which he now wore. It was navy blue kung fu style clothing with black moccasin style shoes. The outfit was given to him by Yoshikawa in recognition of his achievements. "Appearances are important in certain situations." was all he said as Naruto made room for them in his pack.

During his years spent as a wanderer Yoshikawa learned many things from many different people and had spent hours creating the outfit Naruto now wore. The pants had a hidden pouch wrapping around the inside waist line like a belt which was sectioned into four separate pockets each able to hold a decent amount of projectiles as well as other things without being noticed. The jacket had hidden pockets also. Naruto asked his master what the reason was for all the hidden pockets and was told "Naruto, just because fortune smiles upon you, doesn't mean you won't run across a devil waiting to take that fortune away. Always be prepared my boy."

Sakura finally arrived, rounding the corner she spotted Naruto and inhaled softly at how handsomely he was dressed. Naruto walked over to her. Matching her pace he asked rhetorically "Shall we?"

Blushing, Sakura nodded her head and lead the way to Hokage tower where they were greeted by Shizune who silently appraised Naruto as he walked in.

"Wow, that's Naruto, I can't believe it! He has changed so much. The Naruto I remembered was so loud in demeanor as well as dress. It is almost as if I am staring at a completely new person" was all Shizune thought ushering them into the Hokage's office.

Tsunade was standing by the window gazing out upon Konoha with Jiraiya, who being one that enjoyed a grand entrance was waiting outside on the window ledge like a stage actor awaiting his cue.

"Tsunade-sama, Sakura and Naruto are here." Shizune said waking Tsunade from her thoughts.

Tsunade slid her eyes from Sakura to Naruto and stood with her arms crossed silently inspecting him. He had grown taller she thought. Continuing her inspection, she also noticed that that growth was not relegated to his body alone but also extended to his choice of dress as well as his discipline and restraint which she saw in his posture. She allowed herself a small smile as she noticed his unruly hair had remained. She knew from listening to Jiraiya's constant recollection of Konoha's number one hyperactive ninja that this new Naruto was a product of the six months he had gone missing. Gazing upon him after all these many months she was struck with the urge to leave the Hokage façade and dote over him. She had been truly worried for his welfare and missed him sometimes she thought a little too much. His innate ability to have even total strangers come to care for him as if he were their own blood never ceased to amaze her, and upon reflection she new along with wanting to bet everything on his determination to succeed it was a part of Naruto's uncanny charm.

When he went missing, for a little while she regressed to the Tsunade of old. Thinking herself cursed she dulled her pain and self pity with sake bottle after sake bottle. Thank God for Shizune, if not for her diligent and loyal disciple keeping things running smoothly, her fall would not have gone unnoticed. The only argument she lorded over Shizune's much appreciated coddling was that she had been a little too efficient, which forced Tsunade to endure the constant harassment of the old geezers about her recent decrease in proficiency.

Naruto squirmed uncomfortably under Tsunade's gaze, even though he had regained much of his memories including those of the bonds he had formed with people over the years he could not help but feel apprehensive. Perhaps it was all the time spent isolated in the mountains with no one for company but Master Yoshikawa or maybe he still hadn't come to except the reality of the recent events which had transpired. Whatever it was that was keeping him from relaxing, he hoped it would pass with time. Konoha was after all his home and these people were not strangers but friends.

Naruto wished Master Yoshikawa was here with him so he could seek his advice, but present circumstances required that his presence remain a secret to all save Naruto for whatever reason he did not know but Naruto would not betray the Master he owed so much too and whom he had grown very fond of. Until he was otherwise told, Naruto would take that particular secret to his grave. His thoughts drifted to the cavern in what was his mountain home for six months and to the well being of his Master when he was snapped out of it by Jiraiya who took the uncommonly long silence as his cue to enter.

"Yo! Long time no see, Naruto. It appears you managed to survive, but I would expect nothing less from my apprentice especially if he has a skull as thick as yours."

Although Jiraiya maintained a demeanor of neutrality he could not help but inwardly admire his snazzy dressed apprentice, and compared the man before him to the boy of old. Now he knew the reason for the uncommon silence. All those months of tension built spent fearing the worst only to have Naruto relieve them in a way only he could. Jiraiya had to laugh at how Naruto never failed to disappoint. Walking up to Naruto, he slapped him on the shoulders and held him at arms length.

"You sure did take your sweet time coming home. Did you decide to take the scenic route?" Jiraiya asked humorously.

Naruto, face to face with the person he hoped could fill the small gaps in his memory smiled as he said, "Something like that old man."

Entranced by the nostalgia of the moment, everyone watching smiled at the pair. Pupil and Master reunited against all odds. Hopefully this bit of good fortune was a sign of positive things to come and not the calm before the storm Tsunade felt looming whenever she peered out over Konoha threw the window of the Hokage's office. So many perils surrounded them these days it was good to have fortune smile upon them if even for a brief moment.

The time for nostalgia over, Tsunade dismissed Sakura so that she and Jiraiya could question Naruto privately about his whereabouts over the last six months and the reason he failed to return. Being true to his word and not revealing anything of his Master or where he resided all Naruto would tell them was that he was found badly beaten and unconscious by a kindly old man who nurtured him back to health in a remote place somewhere around River country, and how the old man allowed him to stay with him after they discovered Naruto suffered from amnesia. He finished the story, recalling their need for supplies and their journey to Suna which lead to the events that harbingered his reunion with Konoha. After spending hours answering questions and being screened by Tsunade to ensure he was at optimal health, Naruto was finally allowed to retire for the night.

"I am sure with all that you have been through you'll want to rest and recuperate" came Tsunade's dismissal.

"I am a little tired, but I would like to ask Master Jiraiya some questions if I could. Although I have regained much of my memory there are still some holes. I believe he is the only one who can fill them."

Jiraiya sat in silent astonishment over the fact that Naruto had not once called him pervy sage throughout the whole interrogation. He kind of missed it, but was still glad to be rid of the horrible nickname given to him by a young Naruto when he was discovered doing research for his books. Inwardly he laughed as he thought to himself "It only took a near death experience and a bout of amnesia for him to finally show me the proper respect I deserve."

"There will be plenty of time for us to talk later Naruto. For now, I think you should get some rest. I am sure with all that has happened to you, you have more than enough to think about." Jiraiya said roused from his thoughts.

"I suppose you are right. Good night Hokage-sama, Master Jiraiya." Naruto said deciding not to press the subject. Knowing that he would eventually find the answers he sought Naruto respectfully bowed and left the Hokage tower for his apartment and the bliss of a good night's sleep.

"He has improved much that was no mere façade I saw, but the genuine article. What do you think?" Jiraiya said thoughtfully.

"I think I would like to meet this old man Naruto refuses to elaborate on."

"Yes, he does seem interesting, but unless Naruto is ready to trust us with that knowledge I doubt even Ibiki could pry it from him."

"True enough, and you are right that was no mere façade, from Sakura and Kakashi's accounts of the events that took place it would seem Naruto has immensely improved in the ninja arts, and inconceivable as it might sound, from what Kakashi reports after witnessing a battle between Naruto and an imposter Itachi perhaps even his skills in genjutsu have improved, but he could not definitively say. I am sure some of that improvement is due to your two years spent training him, but I am certain the rest was learned from are mystery man." Tsunade recounted.

"Perhaps after he has had sufficient time to rest a test might be in order, just to see firsthand how much he has improved." Jiraiya said smiling before leaping out the window.

"I think that would be enlightening." Tsunade thought to herself.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 10:Home Sweet Home Naruto's Return, Seeing Is Believing

Naruto lied in bed staring at the ceiling, all his attempts at sleep failures. His mind was a cacophony of endless thoughts. Whys and what ifs barraged him one after the other. Finally quieted by a memory three and a half months past.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto was standing on a wide board perched a foot off the ground; it rested on top of a triangular stone block. He was squatting in a wide horse stance, his butt tucked and his back erect. A medium size clay pot rested atop his head as he struggled to maintain his balance while supporting a long pole extending three feet past his shoulders from end to end with one full bucket of water dangling at both ends of the pole. Naruto unable to remain quite finally broke the silence.

"Master, how long must I do this?"

"As long as it takes." Yoshikawa replied provoking further questioning from Naruto.

"What does that mean?!"

"It means you stop when you have learned not to be so thick headed. Instead of thinking about where you are; why don't you focus on where you want to be in all aspects of your being, and not just on the obvious.

"Huh?"

"Haguru you exasperate me to no end; what is it that you lack and what is it that I promised to instill upon you whether you like it or not."

"Focus and clarity of mind, right?" stuttered Naruto unconfidently after a moments thought.

"If you know the answer why do you persist on complaining about everything that you do? I know you find these particular exercises tedious and boring. I also know that even though you never complain about it, you hate the fact that I answer most your questions with another question or make you quest for the answer you seek, but why is it that I do this Haguru? Think! If even for just this moment, use your mind and intuit the reasons for my severe and obscure nature. You will have the answer to your first question when you can."

"Fine, but can you at least explain to me what you mean about all aspects of being."

"Haguru, obviously your physical being is stuck on that platform balancing these buckets which you do not enjoy, but where the body has its limits the mind …."

"The mind has only that which you burden it with. I know Master." Naruto said as he finished his Masters sentence.

"Do you really?" was all Yoshikawa said as he turned and walked away.

Pausing to look back Yoshikawa tells Naruto "Your training for the day ends at sunset, which leaves you three and a half more hours to discover your answer." and continued on his way.

"Master, at least tell me why I m not allowed to use Kage Bunshin." Naruto yelled after his master.

"Because some roads a man must travel alone and in solitude without the benefit of help of any kind." Yoshikawa said before he disappeared into the cavern entrance.

Naruto would spend his next three and a half hours in total misery.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX End Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was not until these last few days that Naruto had understood what his Master meant. Since his meeting in the Hokage's office, night had fallen and the stars had awoken. Naruto knew that although he was beyond fatigued he would not be able to rest unless he took active measures so he decided to rediscover some of his old haunts. Ichiraku's ramen shop was closing when he arrived.

"Sorry, we are closed." Ayame said as she continued her normal closing rituals.

"That's okay; I just came for the nostalgia."

"Naruto, is that you?"

Naruto had grown accustomed to the name given to him by his Master and hesitated in his response. His reply came in the form of a head nod. He was going to need some time to reintegrate his identity with his birth name Uzamaki, Naruto.

"Well, I guess we can make an exception for our greatest customer, until you left that is." She said cheerily. "So, where did you disappear to?" she continued, making conversation as she brought out the supplies she needed.

"Training."

"Ah, I see, well, welcome back! What would you like; it is on the house, right Pops?"

Naruto was so tired he failed to realize that he had not eaten all day and decided to take Ayame up on her offer. Naruto ordered a bowl of Shio ramen. Ayame remembering the old Naruto's appetite brought out three bowls instead. Naruto sat quietly as he ate; the memories of his past joining him in the silence. The warm broth coupled with the flavor combination of the vegetables mixed with chicken brought tears to his eyes. In an attempt to escape notice, Naruto put his head down into the final bowl and inhaled the ramen and broth like a high powered vacuum then quickly turned to take his leave. He thanked Ayame and her father for the meal as he slipped back into the night wiping away the tears.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Iruka had heard of Naruto's return from the Hokage herself. His first reaction was to find his former pupil whom he had promised the Third to watch over, but after the Hokage had explained all that Naruto had undergone including his suffering from amnesia these last six months he agreed with the Hokage that it was best to give him some time to readjust. The night had found Iruka unable to sleep his mind was constantly in a state of concern for his former student. He knew that he would be unable to rest until he saw that Naruto was fine with his own two eyes so he decided a walk would help to clear his mind. He took a path that would lead him past Naruto's apartment and inwardly hoped for a glimpse of his former student but did not expect one. After hearing all the burdens Naruto had bore, Iruka was certain that Naruto would be asleep, if not for the next week at least for two days minimum. Distracted by his thoughts, Iruka bumped into a young man as he rounded a corner.

"Forgive me; I should have paid attention to where I was walking." Iruka said as he bowed apologetically.

"It is okay, there was no harm done; really."

Iruka helped the boy to stand and realized that it was no ordinary boy, but Uzumaki, Naruto. Iruka was stunned by his appearance. Iruka's first thought was that this was either an imposter or Naruto had suffered from more than just amnesia. There was no way that the loud mouth, snot nosed, hyperactive prankster known as Uzumaki, Naruto would ever be able to command the calm demeanor before him, at least not until his deathbed. Naruto finished dusting his close off when he finally noticed the man who knocked him down; the tears he had finished wiping away at Ichiraku's threaten to return. "What is going on? Why can I not maintain control of my emotions? For the first time I am glad Master Yoshikawa is not here to see me or tears would be the least of my problems." Naruto thought as he quickly turned away and composed himself before turning to face Iruka.

"Iruka-sensei! How are you?" Naruto said adopting a pleasant tone.

"Naruto, I thought you would be in bed resting after all you have been through."

"I was, but I couldn't sleep so I decided a little exercise might help tire me out."

"Mind if I join you?"

"No, not at all."

"The Hokage informed me of your misadventures, this must all seem like a dream to you. I just want you to know that if you need to talk I am here." Iruka said in a quiet tone.

Naruto sensing the return of an emotional overload focused on clearing his thoughts of everything except for the acknowledgement of his breath. He did this until he was certain that he had a firm control of his emotions before saying "Thank you Iruka-sensei. The sentiment is deeply appreciated."

Iruka was once again floored. He could not help but marvel over the boy before him. "He has to be an imposter" was all he thought as they walked along.

They spent the next fifteen minutes walking in comfortable silence both of them afraid of ruining the moment would just nod to the other before retiring for the night. Iruka left Naruto at the door to his apartment and walked home wondering what else had changed? Naruto would spend the next day and a half in a deep coma like sleep awakening around early afternoon starving. He hurried through his morning routine, afterward he located a pen and paper made a short list of necessities and left in search of nourishment. He plotted his path for Ichiraku ramen because it was the only shop he remembered and because he truly enjoyed their ramen. Naruto reached Ichiraku greeted Ayame and her old man and ordered a bowl of Shio ramen with chicken and vegetables.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hokage tower, out on the balcony Tsunade, Shizune, and Sakura discuss the information she was given by Sasori before he passed away.

"Before he died Sasori confided in me about a secret meeting at Heaven and Earth bridge between him and a mole he placed inside of Orochimaru's village, it takes place in two weeks aqnd three days at high noon."

"Do you think the information is credible?" Tsunade asked Sakura.

"I do. He had no reason to lie because he didn't have to share the information with me in the first place."

"True, but it could just as well be a trap." Shizune said playing devils advocate.

"I don't think so, but I have considered that possibility and I still believe it is worth the risk, especially, if it leads us to the location of Orochimaru's hideout and Sasuke." Sakura rebutted.

"I too believe it is worth the risk. Unfortunately Kakashi your team leader will be in no position to help, which leaves you two men short." Tsunade said pointing out the obvious issues purposely.

"Tsunade-sama, surely you can find us a suitable replacement, and I always thought that once Naruto had returned that he would be…." Shizune spoke up before Sakura could finish.

"I don't think it would be wise to allow Naruto to do any mission after all he has been through and especially since he is being targeted by Akatsuki."

"Everything that Naruto has been through was so that he would be prepared for a moment like this you can't just deny him that opportunity especially after all he has been through." Sakura said heatedly

"Maybe so but…" Shizune started before an annoyed Tsunade decided to end the bickering.

"Enough! Unfortunately for the two of you it is not your decision. That decision belongs to Naruto."

"But Tsunade-sama I really believe…"

"I said ENOUGH Shizune! Your objections have been noted, but I happen to agree with Sakura. Naruto should, if he chooses, accompany them."

"Alright" Sakura screamed excitedly.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet, I haven't finished stating my conditions." Tsunade interrupted. "First, Naruto must choose to go, and second he must prove to me that he is capable; if he can, then, and only then will I allow him to accompany you on your mission. Shizune, you will attend this test it will put your mind at ease and hopefully instill a little faith. Now go, I would like to be alone." Tsunade said dismissingly.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto sat eating his ramen in silence wondering if Sakura would accompany him while he accomplished his list; he could use some outside perspective while purchasing some new clothes.

It had been awhile since team ten had gathered for lunch and Chouji winning a coin toss chose to eat ramen. Shikamaru entered Ichiraku's and noticed a familiar looking teenage boy with unruly blond hair and whisker like scars on his face. He was wearing a white buttoned mandarin collared shirt, dark brown pant, and dark brown moccasin style shoes. Shikamaru took the first seat across from him. "Except for his sense of dress that boy looks just like Naruto, but I haven't heard any reports of his return. I guess there is only one way to find out." Shikamaru thought as the rest of team ten filed in taking seats and conversing.

"Welcome back Naruto." Shikamaru said casually.

Naruto busy eating his ramen stopped and turned to face his greeter as team ten ceased their conversation and stared in silent disbelief.

"Yo, Shikamaru right" Naruto's greeting confirming Shikamaru's suspicion awoke team ten from their moment of shock, and they all moved to greet and question him. Asuma stood quietly in the backdrop and thought "perhaps it is time to pay a visit to the Hokage." He made a quick excuse before parting ways with his team and left them enough yen to have lunch.

"So what happened to the orange jump suit? It is hard to believe that you are the real Naruto and not some type of imposter. The Naruto I remember was so loud and had a hideous fashion sense." Ino ranted.

"Yeah, well things change."

"You can say that again."

"So Naruto when did you get in" Shikamaru quickly chimed in saving Naruto from Ino the Interrogator.

"It's been about a day and a half."

After searching his home and the surrounding areas, Sakura finally located Naruto surrounded by team ten and team eight who where passing by and became curious when they heard Ino's excited tone. All are amazed by his appearance; quiet and thoughtful, it was something that they never would have believed possible although all Ino's questioning had revealed that Naruto still had some fire left in him as well.

"I….am…uh …..I mean….uh, we….are happy….you …uh, well…." Hinata said struggling to form a sentence. The scene was enough to spark Naruto's memories of his encounters with Hinata, and it seemed to him that although some things change others were a constant bringing a smile to his face. Hinata seeing his smile fainted.

"Some things never change." Kiba said as he caught Hinata before she could hit the ground.

"I guess not. I wonder why she is always fainting." Naruto asked innocently.

"Your clothes may have changed Naruto, but it would appear as if you are still as clueless as ever. Maybe you still are the same old Naruto after all." Ino said playfully chiding him for his ignorance leaving Naruto even more puzzled.

Sakura greeted her peers and used the lull in conversation to pull Naruto to the side so she could speak with him in private. Bidding Naruto and Sakura farewell team ten and eight paid their bills and departed Ichiraku to begin their day.

"Sakura-san I was wondering if you could accompany me on my errands. I really could use some outside perspective on some of the things I have to purchase" Naruto asked.

"Sure, but first I have something to ask you and then depending on your answer the Hokage will want to see you." Sakura explained to him about the meeting with Sasori's spy and Tsunade's decision and ultimatums on his becoming apart of the team tasked with capturing the spy and gathering information.

"How long until the mission and how much time would I have to prepare for this test?"

"The meeting is to take place in three weeks at Heaven and Earth Bridge, it will take us about a weeks travel to reach there, and we have already lost four days in total since acquiring the information. My best guess, barring any unforeseen circumstance, is that Tsunade-sama will want your answer and test to take place within the week."

After not receiving an immediate response from Naruto, Sakura felt a little worried about having fought so hard for him to accompany them on this mission. The old Naruto would have already been at Tsunade-sama's door telling her to bring it on, but this new Naruto appeared to her a little apprehensive at wanting to save the very person he struggled for. Maybe the blow that caused him to have amnesia did more damage then she had recently thought; perhaps, Shizune was right to worry. Maybe it was to early for Naruto to be undertaking any missions, and she was wrong for having forced the issue of Naruto's involvement in this mission.

"On second thought Naruto, just forget we had this talk. It is obvious with all that has happened to you that you are still recovering."

"Sakura you don't need to worry about me. I will be fine for this mission."

"Are you sure Naruto?"

"If I wasn't I wouldn't say so, this is about getting Sasuke back. I know my calm demeanor isn't quite the reaction you expected, but not everything about me has changed Sakura. Even my amnesia couldn't take away the feelings I have for you guys. Tell Tsunade–sama I will meet at any time and place designated in five days. I guess my To Do list will have to wait for a later date. I have to go prepare myself for the test. Janna" Naruto said as he left to his apartment to retrieve the scrolls bequeathed to him by his master. Hopefully, he would be able to master a few new techniques before test time.

Seeing the unwavering determination in Naruto's demeanor and hearing the certainty in his voice comforted Sakura and boosted her confidence that she had made the right decision in asking for him to join in the mission.

"NARUTO WHERE ARE YOU GOING" Sakura yelled after him.

"Some where I can train myself without interruptions."

Sakura returned to the Hokage's tower to tell Tsunade Naruto's decision, and saw Jiraiya was waiting to hear his decision as well.

"Where you able to locate him" Tsunade asked.

"Yes Hokage-sama. I explained your ultimatums and that you would want to see him depending on his answer."

"And I take it he turned you down, seeing as he is not here with you."

"No, he agreed to join in the mission and then he took off saying that he would meet at a place and time of your choosing in five days time." Sakura said bracing herself for her master's fury.

"WHAT! Where did he say he was going?!"

"I don't know. I couldn't catch him. All he said is that he was going to a place where he could train for the test without interruptions."

"Don't worry, I'll find him and keep an eye on him." Jiraiya said as he leapt through the window.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 11: **Preparation: Time to Pull Yourself Together Sasuke is Waiting

If Naruto's memory was correct then there was a place not too far from Konoha that was relatively quiet. It was where Jiraiya had allowed him to sign the summoning pack with the toads and taught him how to summon them. It was also where Naruto first learned how to consciously use the Kyuubi's chakra. Naruto shivered at the mere thought of the Kyuubi, the fear it inspired and all the suffering he had endured for being the vessel which imprisoned it. However, since his memory loss, Naruto had come to see many things from his past in a new light thanks to Master Yoshikawa. Naruto wondered how much his Master had been able to deduce about him and if he had known what he was.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXX**

It had been two and half months since Naruto dreamed about those huge glowing eyes and that monstrous voice. He was sitting at the dinner table playing with his food withdrawn and contemplative.

"Naruto what troubles you" Yoshikawa inquired.

"Nothing Master, I was just remembering a bad dream I had or at least I keep telling myself it was just a dream, but the response it was able to provoke from me makes me think that maybe it was something more."

"Tell me about your dream?"

"I woke up in a dark place, and in front of me stood a cage with some type of seal on it; from behind the cage I could see a huge pair of angry eyes looking at me… through me, as if whoever or whatever owned them wanted nothing more than to devour me. When it spoke its voice was so cold and inhuman calling me boy as this red mist like chakra escaped from underneath the cage trying to wrap its self around me, and then I woke up. It really freaked me out especially the way it called to me as if …. Well, it felt as if it knew me and I felt as if I knew it."

"How many times have you had this dream?"

"Just the once, but it felt so real I haven't been able to shake it."

During their training Yoshikawa had seen the markings on Naruto's belly, and had surmised that Naruto was no ordinary boy but that he was a Jinchuuriki. Naruto's retelling of his dream added wait to his assumption. Yoshikawa felt as if he should inform Naruto of his suspicions, but knowing the tragedy that usually followed a Jinchuuriki's path, he decided to keep this knowledge a secret. He had grown fond of Naruto these passed three and a half months, and wished to spear him any ill memories that such knowledge might awaken.

"I think your dream has to deal with your memory loss." Yoshikawa said adopting a sagely manner in an attempt to resolve his pupil's angst.

"Huh?"

"Obviously you have not fully dealt with all the emotions pertaining to your memory loss, and subconsciously those emotions have manifested themselves in this dream you can't seem to let go of."

"Huh?"

"The caged beast that knew you in your dreams is a representation of you and all the negative emotions you harbor like your anger and fear which sought to envelop you through the use of the red mist. The cage with the seal represented your understanding of something you have no control over, and the fact that you ran from these elements means you are not ready to deal with your current reality. Naruto, in life you can't always choose the path you walk, sometimes the only choice you have is how you choose to walk the path you are on."

"So what you are saying is I am angry at myself for something I have no control over and I am not ready to deal. Okay, I guess I can kind of see what you are saying, but what the heck does choosing paths and not choosing paths and how I walk them have to do with any of the other stuff you just said. Arrgh, I think my brain is going to explode! Why does all your help always lead to me needing more help just to figure out the help you supposedly have already given me? You really truly enjoy tormenting me don't you Master."

"All you need is some time, with a little time you will come to understand; now eat because you will need your strength. If you thought today was hard wait until you see what tomorrow holds.

Yoshikawa was glad that his poor attempt at misdirection succeeded in distracting his student replacing the dream that plagued him with the regular worries of a student trying to understand his lessons. The dream that Yoshikawa knew was not a dream but a sad and lonely road, more than likely forced upon him without his consent.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX End Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto arrived at the lake by the waterfall and was immediately greeted by a familiar figure who was fishing on the lake.

"Yo, Naruto what brings you way out here?"

"I have five days in which to train if I am to prove I am still a capable ninja." Naruto explained to Jiraiya.

"And you came all the way out here?"

"I am finding Konoha to be a little overwhelming right now."

"I see." Jiraiya said his tone filled with understanding.

"I figured the fewer distractions the better. How long have you been out here" Naruto asked. "I don't remember your idea of relaxing as being fishing."

Jiraiya inwardly lost his composure at an imagined implication but quickly recovering retorted.

"You are not the only one to have changed in these many months."

Naruto silently thought that this proposed change was highly unlikely and he was certain that Jiraiya was here as a chaperone, but he knew with all that was coming that this was probably the only time for Jiraiya to answer his lingering questions.

"Did you catch any fish for me? I hope this camping trip together is nothing like our last one."

Jiraiya smiled inwardly at Naruto's high level of observation, and the nonchalant and tactful manner in which he revealed his knowledge. He thought the old Naruto would have more than likely viewed the whole incident as mere coincidence and been more than a little angered at the idea of people watching over him had he found out. Seeing his apparent growth, Jiraiya had come to view Naruto's disappearance as something positive born from good karma rather than a crisis averted.

"Now that you mention it, I have caught quite a few fish which I am more than willing to share, but you have to get the fire going. It is only fair after all, since I caught them."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you are not lying about catching those fish and purchased them ahead of time from the local market." Naruto quipped as he left to fetch wood to build a fire.

"WHAT, I would never do such a thing! What happened to showing your Master some respect" Jiraiya cried in mock disbelief.

"My memories of how lazy you are when it comes to things like this must be a by-product of the amnesia. Please forgive me Jiraiya-sama." Naruto said smiling as he disappeared into the forest.

"His powers of observation are greater than I thought. I am going to have to be more careful around him in the future." Jiraiya thought. "Now I truly am curious to know the identity of Naruto's rescuer."

Naruto spent the next twenty minutes gathering fire wood and building a camp fire so that Jiraiya could start cooking while he finished setting up his tent.

"Lunch will be ready in thirty minutes Naruto." Jiraiya yelled from the campfire.

"Take your time I can get a little studying done while you are cooking."

"You know I don't know if I will ever become accustomed to how much you have changed."

"I can't be all that different."

"Your maturity, calm, and focused since last we were together are on a completely different level. It is really remarkable."

"I am still pretty bull headed when it comes to learning things though." Naruto said before retreating to his tent to study. Naruto was able to study for half an hour before lunch was ready.

Jiraiya and Naruto ate lunch silently; they listened to the sound of the waterfall as it met the lake in a violent union. Naruto excused himself from the campfire after he had finished so he could search for a quiet spot to train. Once he found what he was looking for he summoned as many shadow clones as possible and begun practicing the techniques held within the ninjutsu scroll given to him by Master Yoshikawa. Jiraiya watched from a distance as Naruto trained himself through the use of Kage Bunshin and couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't thought of the training tactic himself. It took Naruto two days to master the scroll. A quarter threw his third day he had managed to learn two genjutsu techniques, and decided that it would take more time to learn than he wanted to devote at the moment so he placed the seal back on the scroll and devoted the rest of his day to practicing his newly acquired techniques in multiple scenarios instead.

Naruto practiced well into the night and had perfected his skills in a way no other could, thanks to the use of his Kage Bunshin. Before retiring for the evening, Naruto broached the subject of his disappearance. Finding nothing illuminating, he changed subjects coaxing basic concepts in the art of sealing from Jiraiya instead.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX Naruto's Dream XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto was standing on top of a mountain overlooking Konoha the wind was blowing briskly when the peaceful scene was transformed into one of carnage. The bodies of many dead ninja laid strewn about the forest ground. The trees suddenly were a blaze as an enormous fox with nine tails appeared destroying everything in its path. Those who tried to stop it were simply tossed aside like toys. A huge frog leapt out from behind a fiery curtain with the silhouette of a man on his back. Naruto attempted to get a clearer view of the man but could not because of all the smoke from the forest fire. A Flash of bright light blinded him.

When Naruto regained his vision the Kyuubi and the man were gone, and he was transported to the center of the forest left to witness the sobering view of destruction. Naruto noticed a mirror a few feet away. He walked closer to the mirror and he watched as his mirror image did the same. Naruto and his image stared at each other for a moment and then he watched as his mirror image was enveloped by an ominous chakra. His eyes become feral as his nails began to grow and his skin started to peel off. Blood poured out of his wounds painting his body as he released a terrifying scream. Naruto averted his gaze unable to stand the sight any further. A bloodied hand grabbed Naruto by the shoulder and spun him around. As the mirror shattered, Naruto stood face to face with himself in the form of a miniature version of the Kyuubi. The Kyuubi, Naruto released a chakra laced roar hurling Naruto into a tree and rendered him unconscious.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto awoke to the sound of dripping water. Darkness surrounded him except for a dim light which illuminated two huge locked iron bar doors marked with a seal. Huge eyes stare down at him as he gathered himself to stand. A guttural noise could be heard emanating from the Kyuubi.

"You" Naruto yelled "How did I get here? Did you bring me here?"

"**Your questions irritate me boy, if I had that type of power at my disposal I would have freed myself long ago." **The Kyuubi growled in a civilized tone.

"I know you have more sway over me than I would like."

"**Do I?"**

"I think we both know that unforeseen circumstances have arisen from tampering with the seal, circumstances which have allowed you to seize control over me from time to time."

"**Even if that were true, there would still be nothing you could do to change it boy. What is done is done." **

"Wrong, I could restore the seal to its original form."

"**Save your empty threats boy! We both know you lack the knowledge and couldn't survive without the strength I provide you." **

The Kyuubi lowered his head meeting Naruto's eyes as best he could before roaring into his face. Naruto was bombarded with spittle and hot noxious breathe pushed him back. Naruto braced himself and stepped forward meeting the Kyuubi's gaze defiantly.

"Why?" Naruto screamed over the Kyuubi's roar, a slight tinge of agony cracking his voice.

Undecided if Naruto was courageous or foolish, an amused Kyuubi ceased his display of power and stared intently at the insignificant speck before him as Naruto continued.

"Why do you act this way? Why did you attack a village that didn't even so much as provoke you? Why choose to be the monster everyone says you are? ANSWER ME?!"

"**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, you amuse me to no end child. Who do you think you are to demand answers of me?" **

"I am the one burdened by you!" Naruto spat.

"**Insignificant"** the Kyuubi's voice resonated in an ethereal tone. **"You are just one of many who have suffered because of me. You should be thankful you are alive to speak of it."**

"I think it is the other way around. I think you should be thankful that you still live."

"**I am beginning to find you annoying boy!"**

"After all that I have endured because of you, what makes you think that I would care? This is my body and from where I stand you have no rights!" Naruto said unable to hold back his rage any longer.

"**With all that you have been through and after tampering with the seal created to keep me imprisoned you still believe this body is yours alone, boy. **

Through the whole of the conversation the Kyuubi had been secretly releasing his chakra hiding its presence in the mist which covered the floor of Naruto's subconscious. The demon fox smiled wickedly at the emotionally charged Naruto who was to angry to notice. Caught unaware and too late to re-act Naruto was engulfed in a cocoon of demonic chakra.

"**HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA" **The Kyuubi's laughter echoed through Naruto's mindscape as he writhed in agony. Suspended in the demonic chakra cocoon the Kyuubi's laughter seemed so distant, and everything seemed so far away as the Kyuubi took control.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

In the real world demonic chakra slowly covered Naruto's body as he slept.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You want me to what!"

"I want you to shift your weight to the center and balance yourself on one leg just like you have been doing underneath the waterfall." Yoshikawa said with a calm face.

"You can't be serious."

"Haguru if you wish to master taijutsu or anything else you must first learn to master yourself."

"Master I have been balancing on this plank in horse stance while keeping these buckets from spilling for hours my muscles are spent there is no way I can do what you ask."

"Haguru have you learned nothing in all this time? Perhaps I was wrong to hold you in such high regards."

Naruto hearing the disappointment in his Masters voice accomplished what he said he couldn't. Yoshikawa seeing this was pleased, but wanted to make sure this lesson stuck in Haguru's brain.

"I will not always be there to remind you of what you already know. You must train yourself mercilessly until this knowledge becomes as common to you as breathing, but until then I will be more than happy to help ingrain this knowledge into you." Yoshikawa said grinning devilishly.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX End Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I understand Master." Naruto said as he closed his eyes in deep concentration.

The chakra cocoon that was surrounding Naruto in his mindscape suddenly began to bubble, and in the real world the Kyuubi's chakra that was slowly enveloping Naruto subsided. The Kyuubi no longer laughed, but stared silently as Naruto freed himself from his chakra cocoon. Naruto awoke sweating and breathing heavily. Back in Naruto's mindscape the Kyuubi returned to his slumber.

"You have grown much since last we met little one." The Kyuubi thought to himself as he fell into a deep sleep.

Naruto realizing his recent inability to control his emotions enhanced by the more terrifying realization of the Kyuubi's influence over him spent his last day of training in deep meditation. Naruto had always found meditation difficult but after what happened he knew that if he was to prevent the Kyuubi from taking advantage of the altered seal then he would have to train himself mercilessly just as Master Yoshikawa had advised all those months ago. Meditation for Naruto as simple as it was, was difficult, because he learned by doing and this seemed to him to be the antithesis of doing. He had asked Master Yoshikawa the point behind meditation and was told that there was knowledge in breathe and that there was knowledge in stillness.

Naruto addressed a letter to Jiraiya explaining where he had gone off to and politely asked not to be disturbed. It was still dark and the sun had yet to rise when Naruto reached the waterfall and allowed the power of the cold water beating down upon him to wash away all thought save one, the thought of his singularity within the universe. He focused until that singularity that was him became the universe and he became nothing. Jiraiya awoke to find a message addressed to him placed on top of his chest and thought "I am truly looking forward to seeing how you handle your test."


	12. Chapter 12

**I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I had fun writing it. It is my Happy new years for you guys enjoy.**

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 12**: Test Time: Bring IT, I'll Show You!

Naruto and Jiraiya reached Konoha at predawn. The guards at the gates informed Naruto that the Hokage wished to meet him in three hours at the third training field and Naruto headed home to prepare himself for the encounter but not before Jiraiya was able to bequeath to him some soldier pills to boost his energy.

"It would appear that I am not the only one eager to see just how much you have grown. Eh, Naruto. Take these soldier pills they will help you out seeing as you haven't slept much these last few days."

"I guess I better not disappoint. Janna Jiraiya-sama."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tsunade was standing at the training ground accompanied by Jiraiya, Shizune, Sakura, Homaru, and Koharu who somehow were able to ferret out that she would be testing Naruto, infuriating Tsunade tremendously; if she ever found out how the old farts were getting their intelligence she would make sure that person or those persons paid dearly for their transgression.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto was running late; he fell asleep and awoke to find he had ten minutes to reach the training ground for Tsunade's test. Upon his arrival Naruto was greeted by a not to happy Tsunade.

"I hope you don't consider this your idea of being capable."

"Forgive me Hokage-sama I meant no disrespect."

Tsunade still found it hard to believe that the person before her was Naruto. It was the hardest thing for her to see the brash loud mouth so quiet and excepting of her chastisement. She worried that his mind had been irrevocably damaged in some fashion unknown to her, even though she had heard the accounts of his strategic and fighting abilities and reviewed the files of team seven's mission countless times. She needed to see him in action herself before she could believe that he was well. The unwarranted thought was enough to calm her disgruntled nature.

"Well see to it that it does not become a habit" she barked. "Now for the first part of your test you must make your way to the tower at the center of the forest of death and relieve the guards I have posted of the items they were told to protect. Depending on how you do will determine if you proceed to the next level of the test or if you fail. Understood?"

Naruto steered into the angry façade of Tsunade and could see the worry held within her eyes and attempted to comfort her with a grandiose display of bravado."

"I won't fail so have the next test ready." Naruto said exuding a confidence which bordered on cocky as he shun shined in the direction of the forest of death leaving the small crowd of onlookers behind.

Naruto entered the forest and began his journey to the center where his mission lied; his chosen route mirrored the memories of an excited young team seven, and all the misadventures which befell them in the eerie forest during their first Chuunin exams so long ago. By midday, Naruto had traveled to the spot where a young Sakura defended Sasuke against sound ninja seeking to take his life before feeling the fatigue he had been ignoring. Knowing it would do him no good to rush into the unknown fatigued, he decided to take a quick rest.

Naruto had a small bite to eat before creating a small group of shadow clones to help him set perimeter traps. Afterward, he divided them into to small groups. One group patrolled the perimeter of his small makeshift camp while another performed reconnaissance as he lied down and took a much needed rest. The soldier pills given to him by Jiraiya he pocketed just in case there where more difficult task ahead. Naruto was so tired he fell into a deep sleep within minutes of closing his eyes. His dreams were for the most part uneventful until he found himself standing before a shadow with piercing red eyes

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Itachi no not him someone else" Naruto thought as he wondered where he was.

"You will obey beast whether of your own volition or through the use of force. I will leave the decision up to you, but I would rather you followed me willingly. It is not like I am asking you to do anything outside of your nature." said the mysterious figure with the red eyes.

"**Insolent little nothing to whom do you think you speak? You couldn't even begin to fathom my true nature let alone at the enormity of my power! You are a tasty morsel to be devoured not obeyed!" **Naruto found himself saying.

"I thought that might be the way you felt." The mysterious man said bored as if he had rehearsed a thousand times for the scenario which was unfolding.

Naruto was confused by the whole situation and before he knew it he lunged clawing and tearing at the mysterious figure, who drifted away like a feather unharmed while forming hand seals.

"For a demon that has lived millennium you are foolish to think I would be so easily dispatched, or perhaps it is arrogance. As your new Master I will teach you what it means to be humble and strip you of that arrogance."The shadow figure said completing his hand seals.

He leapt upon Naruto and struck him with his palm; rays of light shot all around Naruto immobilizing him as the shadow figure performed a back flip and landed in front him. The mysterious man's eyes began to dance as his gaze fell upon Naruto.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto found himself standing before the gates which imprisoned his guest once again.

"What just happened" Naruto questioned his guest confused. "That dream, who was the figure with red eyes?"

"**What?!"** growled the Kyuubi. Shocked, he filled his voice with as much menace as possible.

"The weird dream I was having before I came here that was a memory of your past was it not; so who was the man with the red eyes, and what did he want you to do?"

"**I did not request your company boy. Leave before I…." **the Kyuubi began annoyed, but Naruto cut him off angry and tired of the Kyuubi's usual arrogance and disrespect.

"BEFORE YOU WHAT?!"

"**Have you forgotten our last encounter boy?!"**

"I remember it well. I think it is you that has forgotten." Naruto quipped enraging the beast even further.

The Kyuubi exploding with anger roared shaking the fabric of Naruto's mindscape. Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated on picturing the beast as something other than the imposing figure which raged before him. When he opened his eyes he no longer saw a monstrous Kyuubi but instead he saw a fox cub angry and scared. Regaining his composure, Naruto attempted to assuage the demons anger.

"I am sorry I lost my temper. I didn't mean to upset you; please calm down. I am just trying to understand."

The Kyuubi's anger would not subside; he attempted to break the seal which imprisoned him by slamming himself into the gate repeatedly and releasing the full might of his chakra to consume Naruto. Naruto stood firm and allowed the demonic chakra to wash over him closing his eyes he focused all his concentration on remaining calm. For the first time in his life he acknowledged the Kyuubi not as a prisoner which he housed unwillingly, but as someone he would need to learn to live with. He thought of the words of his Master "Naruto, in life you can't always choose the path you walk, sometimes the only choice you have is how you choose to walk the path you are on." The sly old man had known all along what he was and gave him the chance to prove himself, excepting him for who he was and not what people made him to be.

The Kyuubi seeing this began to laugh and the chakra which consumed Naruto slowly subsided returning to its master. Naruto fell to the floor breathing heavily.

"**HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA it would appear that you are even more interesting now then when we first met boy. Perhaps I shall allow you to live awhile longer."**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto awoke to the night time sounds of the forest and recalled his clones to gather the intelligence they acquired while he rested. He found that he was less than half a day away from the tower which held his objective with three men roving the outside perimeter at uneven intervals and who knew how many more guards inside. He recalled one of his clones observing a giant white tiger and a plan began to formulate in his mind. One that would require a little risk, but if all went well he would be on his way back to the training ground, leaving his adversaries none the wiser at his arrival or departure within a couple of hours. Forming some Kage Bunshin, Naruto quickly erased any trace of his presence and raced in the direction of the white tigers last known location. The success of his plan relied partially on night time concealment giving him about ten hours to complete his mission.

Locating the white tiger Naruto had a Kage Bunshin lure the beast to the tower. Once there, the Kage Bunshin dispersed before any guards could spot him leaving them the privilege of dealing with the great beast. The outer guards preoccupied with their unruly intruder allowed Naruto to scale the building and enter unnoticed through a second floor window.

Naruto formed four Kage Bunshin sending each down separate sections of the tower in search of the prize he must lute. Sticking to the shadows, Naruto avoided the few remaining guards left in the tower, which had surprisingly less resistance then he had expected. One of the shadow clones spotting a door guarded by two ninja whose ranks were unknown dispersed relaying his intelligence to Naruto.

Naruto reached the corridor where the door was guarded pulled out a spherical little ball from one of his hidden pouches and rolled it down the hall towards the door. Hearing the sphere one of the guards look down spotted it and bent down to picked it up for a closer examination. Naruto brought his pointer and middle finger up to his lips and whispered Kai (release). The sphere released a cloud of smoke rendering the guards unconscious. Naruto swooped in and searched the guards. Liberating a set of keys from them, he quickly rifled through them until he found the correct key to unlock the door.

Naruto replaced the guards with two Kage Bunshin hengen to look like them. He placed the real guards bound and gagged inside the room. Locating two scrolls at the center, he reached into his shirt and removed two unused scrolls performed a henge jutsu and replaced the originals with near perfect replicas. Finished retrieving his prize, Naruto retraced his path and exited the way he came.

The two guards on watch at the door would be out for hours while the two Kage Bunshin and replica scrolls would give Naruto enough of a head start that any pursuit would be meaningless. Naruto consumed one of the three soldier pills Jiraiya had given him and poured on the speed not wanting to take any chances. He ran through the three hours left before daybreak and half of the new day to reach the third training ground where an eager crowd awaited him. The only report Tsunade would receive before Naruto's return was one involving a white tiger. A beaming Naruto handed Tsunade the two scrolls before she received the reports of there theft shortly after. The small crowd silently awed over the swift return as well as its flawless execution. It had only taken two days for Naruto to complete his mission.

"It is clear that you have more than adequately passed this test, but I would not rejoice just yet. There is still another test which you have yet to face, are you prepared." Tsunade spoke up authoritatively breaking the silence and Naruto's smile of victory.

"Bring it!" Naruto shot back confidently.

Tsunade inwardly smiled at the familiar fire that sparked in his eyes with his words; her worries over some unknown traumatic injury to his person were gone. "very well!"

Tsunade tossed the scrolls into the center of the field and they rolled open releasing a massive amount of smoke which dissipated to reveal the figure of one Maito Gai.

"You will have until sundown to capture a bell from Gai sensei."

"I have been looking forward to this since hearing the accounts of your battle with Itachi from my eternal rival. Now Uzumaki, Naruto let loose all the wondrous glory of the SPRINGTIME of YOUTH!"

The wind moved across dancing blades of grass as Tsunade yelled "HAJIME!"

Naruto exploded in a burst of blinding speed kicking up as much dust as he could while closing the gap between him and Gai in a spiral pattern. Gai stood relaxed in defensive posture waiting wanting to see what Naruto's opening move would be. Naruto deliberately brought his hand forward and yelled Tajuu Kage Bunshin forming twenty five shadow clones who quickly leapt into the air yelling Shihouhappou Shuriken (All Direction Shuriken) drawing Gai sensei's attention to the incoming shuriken.

Naruto continued to form more hand signs and quietly called forth one Kage Bunshin Nioi no jutsu and a few Kage Bunshin Maka no jutsu. The tagging clones made a direct B line for Gai sensei while the stinky clone awaited a signal to join the fray.

Naruto continued his spiral pattern kicking up as much dust as possible as he moved steadily and slowly inward toward Gai sensei.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Gai jumped back into the dust storm created by Naruto avoiding the shuriken barrage and then shot forward dispersing Naruto's tagger clones with a series of punches and kicks before leaping into the air and dispatching ten of the twenty-five regular clones. Naruto gave his stink clone the signal he was waiting for and it took off sprinting to join the conflict.

Gai landed in a defensive posture encircled by sixteen clones. Five leapt forward each chose a limb and attacked it. Gai slammed his fist into the ground created a small tremor causing his five attackers to lose their balance before dispatching them. In a burst of speed and amazing skill Gai quickly defeated the rest of Naruto's clone in the blink of an eye. The last clone received a roundhouse to the side bursting into a huge cloud of noxious smoke. Naruto used the distraction created by the stinky clone to quickly form hand signs creating his Senbon Ryoushi which were attached to wire he had been laying down under the cover of the dust he kicked up.

Gai seeing the conception of the smoke inhaled some of its unpleasant smell. Suffering minor discomfort, Gai held his breathe and performed a Konoha Senpu creating a whirlwind which gathered the noxious gas allowing him to avoid further harm by standing in its eye.

Gai leapt high into the air to escape the noxious gas only to be greeted by Naruto's senbon ryoushi. Naruto guided the senbon which were attached to wire and formed a net around Gai pinning him to the earth and shun shinned to a trapped Gai to claim his prize.

Gai was able to retrieve a kunai and used it to cut himself free before being completely pinned to the earth by the wire net performing a series of flips and leaps, he maneuvered away from Naruto but not before Naruto was able to obtain a bell. The exchange was so swift that Gai did not notice the bells removal, and rushed forward to engage Naruto only to be greeted by an outstretched hand with a jingling bell.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha defeated by the Springtime of Youth!"

"Your taijutsu skills are amazing Gai sensei. I don't know what I would have done if I failed to retrieve the bell." Naruto said bowing. "Thank you for your restraint."

"It was not restraint that won you the bell, but an excellent strategy Naruto. Although I must admit I was hoping to see some of the taijutsu skill you used on Itachi."

"Forgive me sensei."

"Ha, ha, ha there is no need for apologies Naruto. I truly enjoyed myself this day, but perhaps you will consider spending some time training with me and Lee someday."

"I would be honored Gai sensei."

"Yosh"!

All present are stunned at the decisive victory. Shizune and Sakura stood with their mouths agape making no attempt to hide their surprise. Homaru and Koharu hid their stunned surprise under a stone visage while Tsunade and Jiraiya could not help but to smile.

"I think this proves that he is more than capable of handling this mission, wouldn't you Tsunade-sama?" Jiraiya said rousing her from the discomfort of her thoughts over the old geezers.

"I do, unless you are having second thoughts Sakura." Tsunade said turning to face her trusted and gifted pupil.

"No Tsunade-sama, no second thoughts."

"Then it is agreed, Naruto may join team Kakashi for the mission."

"If I may Hokage-sama" Homaru spoke up drastically altering Tsunade's mood for the worse. "This test is no gauge as to how he will hold up during a real mission, and we all know that Akatsuki will stop at nothing to get their hands on the Bijuu imprisoned within him. H e should remain in the village under lock and key."

"Homaru is correct Hokage-sama this test does not gauge how he will be in a real mission no matter how well he did. He cannot be allowed to join the mission. The danger to the village is to great." Koharu said backing Homaru further enraging Tsunade.

"Your objections have been noted" Tsunade said curtly. "But my decision still stands. Naruto goes!"

"I think it prudent that you reconsider your decision for the sake of the village. It is obvious your judgment is impaired when it comes to Naruto." Koharu continued undeterred.

"My decisions have always been for the sake of the village!" Tsunade spat enraged unable to quell her anger any further "There is nothing you can do to deter Akatsuki from coming for Naruto! Its better that he is allowed to resume missions it will make it harder for Akatsuki to pin him down. What you suggest would definitely bring the village into danger; all Akatsuki would need to do was send one spy into the village to learn Naruto's whereabouts and then they would come charging in here killing ninja and villagers alike just to acquire him. My way keeps them guessing. Like it or not my decision is final, unless either of you would care to take the position of Hokage which both of you seem to want so badly!"

"And if you are wrong" Homaru asked calmly undisturbed by Tsunade's anger.

"If I am wrong than I will defend the village with my life as I promised when I took up the mantle of Hokage!"

Seeing no further point in continuing, Homaru and Koharu respectfully took their leave.

Naruto observing Homaru and Koharu's discussion with Tsunade-sama could not help but notice the discomfort of her visage and thought to distract her from that horrible discomfort.

"What is my next obstacle Obaasan?"

Tsunade hearing the familiar name of granny given to her by Naruto so long ago replaced the strain of her encounter of Homaru and Koharu aside and adopted a wry smile in its stead. Naruto's verbal distraction had succeeded in distracting Tsunade from the irritation she felt when she was around the two elders.

"How many times must I tell you I am no granny" Tsunade said her voice adopting a stern tone. "As punishment for your lapse in judgment your final test shall be exceptionally difficult; it takes place the day after tomorrow. You will pack your bags and join team seven who are leaving for Heaven and Earth Bridge. You are to rendezvous with former Akatsuki member Sasori's spy capture him alive and retrieve any and all intelligence he contains on Orochimaru and the whereabouts of Sasuke. Failure is not an option. Am I understood?"

"Understood obaasan" Naruto said smiling.

Naruto left training ground three behind in order to rest and prepare for tomorrows departure, but not before being introduced to their substitute team Captain Yamato who would be covering for Kakashi until he recovered enough to resume his former duty as Team Seven's Captain.

Next Time: Chapter 13: Heaven and Earth Bridge: Spies, Lies, and Sannin Oh My!


	13. Chapter 13

**Please forgive me for my lack of comma use. And a special thanks to misses V for pointing it out. I am sure that there are even more flaws in my writing so thank you for being kind enough to spare my easily damaged self-esteem :OP**

**I thought this chapter would take me longer to write, but it didn't, so here is my new happy new year chapter. Enjoy! :OD **

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 13**: Heaven and Earth Bridge: Spies, Lies, and Sannin Oh My!

It took a week to reach the bridge. Sai, Sakura and Naruto knelt hidden in the forest just before the bridge as team captain Yamato disguised as Sasori walked to the middle of Heaven and Earth Bridge to rendezvous with the Akatsuki mole.

"Keep your guard up and make sure you do nothing until I give the signal." Yamato reiterated over his portable transmitter.

"Hai," came the teams reply.

Yamato cut his communication short when he spotted the unbroken horizon disturbed by a small dot that steadily grew until a cloaked figure could be seen. Yamato met the spy at the center of the Heaven and Earth Bridge. Sakura was taken aback when she saw that the cloaked figure was Kabuto. Naruto felt as if he knew him but was unable to place the face so Sakura explained to him about Kabuto; Kabuto was the spy planted in Konoha by Orochimaru in a plot to destroy Konoha which failed but not without extracting a heavy toll on the village and of all the trouble Kabuto had caused them in the search for Sasuke.

"It has been five years since last we met. It is good to see you Sasori-sama." said Kabuto.

"Were you followed?" Yamato asked in his best Sasori impersonation.

"No."

"What have you to report on Orochimaru's activities?"

"Sadly, I was not able to retrieve the cell sample you wanted from the body Orochimaru transferred out of before he destroyed it."

"Naruhodo, I have a few questions to ask."

"Could you please keep them brief, I have taken a great risk coming here, if I don't return soon it will probably cost me my life." Kabuto replied.

"What do you know about Orochimaru's hideouts?"

"Orochimaru has multiple hideouts hidden throughout different villages. He moves around every week so his whereabouts remain hidden. Once his spies enter a village they set up his hideouts and when it is time for him to move, he leaves them to run them in his absence. Is that all?"

"No, tell me of Uchiha, Sasuke."

"Uchiha, Sasuke is Orochimaru's most prized possession and rarely leaves Orochimaru's side as Orochimaru is his key to power. Currently, they are located in a hideout on a lake to the North however they will only be there for another three days. Now if you could please give me the item. I must leave now before I am discovered." Kabuto finished holding out his hand.

Knowing he was out of time, Yamato dug into his vest, pulled out a kunai and moved to capture Kabuto when Orochimaru appeared behind Kabuto suddenly.

"What an interesting conversation is it alright if I join?" Orochimaru said as his snake begun wrapping itself around Kabuto who narrowly escaped.

"Thank you Sasori-sama I would not have been able to dodge if you hadn't drawn your Kunai when you did." Kabuto stated graciously before turning and slicing through Yamato's Sasori disguise and arm. Yamato leapt away from Kabuto only to be caught by Orochimaru who yelled "Sen'ei tajashu" (Countless Hidden Shadow Snake Hands), but Yamato was able to escape using his mokuton kawarimi.

"Ku, Ku, Ku, why not call out the three rats you have in hiding?" Orochimaru asked casually.

"He has seen through everything" Yamato thought giving team seven the signal. Sai, Sakura, and Naruto leapt to Yamato's side.

"Ku, Ku, Ku; the Kyuubi brat I was going to go, but seeing you here, I think perhaps I will stay and have a little fun. Come demon brat lets see if you are as strong as Sasuke."

Naruto straightened himself and stepped forward. Sakura began to interject, but Naruto held up his hand stopping her before she could start.

"Naruto," Yamato started in as well but was interrupted by Naruto. "Yamato-sensei, take Sakura and Sai and tend to Kabuto. I will distract Orochimaru as long as I can." Yamato was going to say something more but decided it was pointless seeing the determined look upon Naruto's face and nodded his agreement instead.

"Ha, Ha, Ha" Kabuto laughed mockingly "A wardrobe change can't hide the fact that you are a second rate ninja." Kabuto launched himself forming a chakra scalpel in his right hand and aimed his chakra scalpel for the main arteries of Naruto's heart. Naruto grabbed Kabuto's wrist with his left hand guiding the chakra scalpel away from his heart while thrusting a rasengen into Kabuto's gut with his right sending him flying towards Yamato and the rest of team seven. "Go I will be fine." Naruto said forming Kage Bunshin and preparing for battle.

Orochimaru flashed a crooked grin "Ku, Ku, Ku is that all you have to show me a few Kage Bunshin? " Naruto's Kage Bunshin sprung forward and engaged Orochimaru in close combat. The first went for a leg sweep followed by the second who jumped over him and performed a flying kick. The third with the help of the first leapt into the air tucked his body into cannonball and descended upon Orochimaru with a heel kick. Orochimaru jumped the first clone's leg sweep took the second clone's fly kick on the forearms and allowed the momentum to propel him into a back flip and was caught on the shoulder by the third's heel kick which slammed him into the ground kicking up dust. The three clones circled the dust cloud in defensive postures when Orochimaru immediately barreled out of the dust in retaliation. He delivered an overhand right to the first clone who deflected the punch with his right forearm and countered with a left hand punch which Orochimaru caught in his left hand while simultaneously performing a back kick with his right leg dispelling the second of the clone trio who had attempted to blind side him. The third leapt into the air for another heel kick but was disappointed when Orochimaru broke off from the first clone and rolled backward leaving the third clone's strike to form a small crater where he once stood and directed a leap kick aimed at the center of the clone's upper back in between his shoulder blades; the third clone spun away evading the kick and the first clone countered the move with a flying kick. Leaping over Orochimaru's leg the first clone's foot planted itself squarely in his face. The solid impact sent Orochimaru flying through the trees. Naruto and his clones refusing to let up their attack chased after him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yamato and the others found Kabuto unconscious propped up against a tree. His legs were sprawled out and his body was slumped over. It would have looked as if he was taking a nap if not for the visible damage on his stomach left by the rasengen. Sakura approached Kabuto cautiously and knelt down beside him to check for a pulse. She leapt back surprised when Kabuto struck her on the right shoulder with his chakra scalpel severing the ligaments and incapacitating her arm. Yamato sent three shuriken towards Kabuto only to have them deflected by Sai. Before Yamato and Sakura could react to the turn of events, they found themselves bound by Sai's Choju Giga snakes. Kabuto still weakened by the damage inflicted by the rasengen and coughing up blood made his escaped with the help of Sai.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto and his two clones entered a clearing only to find Orochimaru standing as if nothing had happened.

"Ku, Ku, Ku, Ku, I commend you for your decent taijutsu skills brat, but taijutsu alone is not enough to defeat me or Sasuke-kun for that matter what else can you show me," Orochimaru said with calm exhilaration.

Naruto responded with a Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu (Great fireball technique). Orochimaru did not bother to dodge; instead he used the flames to mask his Sen'ei tajashu. Orochimaru shot through Naruto's fireball releasing his countless snake shadow technique. Naruto performed a back flip capturing Orochimaru's snakes with Ayatsuito no Jutsu (String Reeling Technique). Naruto formed an Oodama Rasengan and hurled himself at Orochimaru, but Orochimaru cut his jutsu short and dodged the super sized rasengan. Naruto landed creating a huge creator; dust flew everywhere as Naruto scanned for Orochimaru and found nothing.

"Ku, Ku, Ku, not bad demon brat, but still not good enough if you expect to defeat Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru hissed as his head flew threw the cloud of debris with Kusanagi drawn, a snakehead protruded from his mouth held the blade. Naruto leapt into the air avoiding Orochimaru's first stab. Through the use of Nan no Kaizō (Soft Physique Modification), Orochimaru pursued him with Kusanagi twisting and stretching his neck. Naruto wrapped Kusanagi with wire and yanked using the momentum he gained to avoid Orochimaru's attack he landed safely on the ground before puling the wire with all his might driving Kusanagi to the ground. Orochimaru bit the snakehead hilt as Kusanagi embedded itself deep within the earth, his neck coiled around it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sai and Kabuto rushed into the clearing just in time to witness Naruto yanking Orochimaru from the sky. Naruto spun quickly as he heard the approaching steps.

"Sai…," was all Naruto was able to say before Orochimaru ran him through. Kusanagi exploded through his chest heralded by a magnificent spray of blood. Orochimaru lifted Naruto off the ground and Kusanagi extended driving him back onto the other side of Heaven and Earth Bridge. Orochimaru stretched his neck following as far as he could. Reaching his limit, he ordered his body to move closer so he could talk to Naruto without having to yell, Kusanagi's length adjusted with every step.

"Ku, Ku, Ku so easily distracted another reason you cannot defeat Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru said as he secured Naruto to the ground with Kusanagi.

Naruto tried desperately not to give Orochimaru the satisfaction of hearing him scream in agony, but Orochimaru deliberately buried Kusanagi deeper into his flesh, eliciting a single scream to escape his throat. Yamato and Sakura broke through the foliage of the forest in time to witness Orochimaru drive Kusanagi even deeper.

"NARUTO," Sakura screamed as she ran to his side. Yamato transformed his arm into a pillar of wood and sent it after Orochimaru, who withdrew Kusanagi from Naruto and fell back, avoiding Yamato's wood arm pillar technique.

"I see you are still alive, no matter, I am done playing," Orochimaru said as he withdrew. Yamato quickly formed a Moku Bunshin no jutsu (Wood clone) and sent it to follow him. Sakura knelt beside Naruto and began administering chakra to heal his wound, but she could not close the wound fast enough and he bled to death before her eyes. She yelled for Captain Yamato to assist her with stopping the blood flow, while she administered CPR in an attempt to kick start his heart. "Please, don't die Naruto. You still have promises to keep, so please don't die," she whispered frantically as tears escaped her eyes.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto felt light as a feather when he found himself before the cage of the Kyuubi. His mindscape had begun to crumble and darken, save for a pinpoint of light that steadily grew bigger. The Kyuubi growled angrily at him.

"**Weak, foolish, boy, I refuse to die here with you in such a pathetic display!" **

The Kyuubi's chakra burst forth, rattling the gates which imprisoned him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sakura and Yamato were thrown ten feet away from Naruto; he was encased completely by the Kyuubi's chakra. Unable to approach Naruto, because of the intense heat generated by the Kyuubi's chakra, Sakura and Yamato watched and waited. Inside the chakra dome, Naruto's eyes shot open; a monstrous roar escaped his throat, clearing the animals from the nearby forest. The wound dealt to him by Orochimaru, faded away, replaced by a combination of blood and demonic chakra, as Naruto began to change. The passage of time eked by slowly as Sakura and Yamato waited; the chakra which encased Naruto finally began to crack, both were shocked and horrified by what they saw as the chakra sphere fell away.

A small four tailed Kyuubi fixed his gaze upon them and roared. Yamato stared at the miniature Kyuubi and thought, "Such a sad and lonely existence to be Jinchuuriki." The Kyuubi shot forth with blinding speed. Sakura was unable to react when the Kyuubi appeared before her; he slashed at Sakura's right arm, inflicting a deep gash. Yamato ran forward forming hand signs and slapped the Kyuubi on the back, "Hokage Shiki Jijun Jutsu: Kakuan Nitten Suishu," he cried, leaping back and away from Naruto with Sakura. A chakra string connected from his hand to the miniature Kyuubi's back appeared, and wooden pillars shot up surrounding him. The miniature Kyuubi clutched his head in his hands, lifted it, and roared to the sky in agony; his roar gave way to Naruto's scream as Yamato's jutsu forced the Kyuubi to relinquish his hold over Naruto.

Naruto fell to the ground unconscious. Sakura ran to his side and knelt down to check his vitals. She was astounded to find the mortal wound completely healed, horrified to find half of the top layer of his skin missing, and relieved to find a steady pulse and the damaged area of his skin slowly healing. She helped to heal his skin faster, by adding her own healing chakra to the affected areas. Once all Naruto's wounds had been tended to, Sakura tended to the gash in her arm. Her wound was about sixty percent healed when Naruto stirred.

"What is going on, where is Orochimaru," Naruto asked as he sat up. Woozy from the sudden movement, he laid back down. Remembering the wound inflicted on him by Kusanagi, Naruto started examining his body, frantically searching for the mortal wound.

"Relax" Yamato said "The Kyuubi healed the wound Orochimaru gave you when he took control, but he left you knew ones which Sakura helped to mend."

"Thank you Sakura-chan. What happened to your arm?"

"Oh it is nothing….,"

"You did it when you transformed into the Kyuubi," Yamato said interrupting Sakura before she could down play it.

"Yamato sensei, why did you…"

Yamato turned and faced Sakura cutting her off again, "Sakura, this is not something you can save Naruto from; lying to him does no good."

Naruto stared horrified by what he had done to his team mate and friend.

"It is a small price to pay for your life," Sakura said, to ease his suffering. "If it weren't for your transformation you would have been dead."

"I'll definitely bring Sasuke back! It is the promise of a life time!" the promise he made so long ago came unbidden into her mind as the sadness and pain held with in his deep blue eyes seared her heart.

"It might have been better that way," Naruto said in a soft tone, turning his head away from Sakura.

"I guess you will need to train harder, and become stronger, so this situation doesn't happen again," Yamato said loudly, drowning out his words so Sakura would not hear. "We better get moving, if we are going to reach Orochimaru hideout before he evacuates."

"And how are we going to do that" Sakura asked in a defeated tone. "We don't even know which way he went."

"Wrong, I sent a clone to follow him while we dealt with Naruto. You didn't see because you were distracted at the time," Yamato said, reigniting the spark of determination in Sakura's eyes.

Naruto shakily stood and began to walk against Sakura's protest. "Naruto you need to rest!"

"This mission is about Sasuke and Orochimaru, not me, besides, I am fine." Naruto said as he turned and walked off ending any further objections.

Next Time**: Chapter 14: ****Reunion: Hey, Sasuke Were Have You Been Hiding!**


	14. Chapter 14

**For those of you who have already read this chapter, this is just a revisor. I had to tweak a sentence to make it sound better, nut for those of you who have not read this chapter than please enjoy:O). For those of you who are curious as to which sentence was tweaked. I say it is time to play Where is Waldo. You find the sentence and I will let you know if you are correct. :O) **

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

**Chapter 14: ****Reunion: Hey, Sasuke Were Have You Been Hiding?**

Naruto, Sakura, and Yamato ran through the maze of corridors, checking room after room in search of Sai. Yamato picked the lock of another door and entered; spying a familiar back pack, he searched its contents while Naruto and Sakura secured the room. Sakura heard a noise from the bathroom and silently signaled Naruto to tackle the person high while she went low. Naruto nodded his head in understanding and took his position.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kabuto entered the lab when he noticed that he had forgotten the files of Konoha's Hokage's loyal Anbu in the room they had given Sai. "I can't begin making the bingo book without those files." He said to himself, as he closed the door to his lab and made his way back to Sai's room.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sai entered the room and was tackled immediately by Naruto and Sakura. Yamato bound him with his Mokuton: wood binding technique; the wood coiled around Sai from his mouth down to his ankle, incapacitating his ability to cry for help as well as his ability to move.

"I am going to remove the mouth peace so that you can answer some questions. I would take into consideration that my jutsu could just as easily impale you as it binds you." Yamato told Sai removing the mouth restraint.

"Now that you have discovered me hear my mission is a failure. So there is no point in me causing anymore trouble for you."

"You were sent by Danzou to enlist the aid of Orochimaru for another "crush the leaf plan" weren't you?"

"Don't bother lying," Sakura said scowling.

"There is no point in lying since you figured out this much." Sai said smiling falsely. "It is just as you said; we are trying to destroy the current Konoha. I was to be the liaison between Orochimaru and Danzou."

"Do you know what you are saying? That is…" Sai interrupted a startled Naruto before he could finish.

"That is not all; I was also to be Danzou's spy. I was to relay information on Orochimaru to him through the use of my jutsu. Orochimaru's betrayal is a certainty, once he helped us fulfill our goals; my role was to be a preventative measure to insure we retained the upper hand."

"A mission like that would be dangerous to whoever undertook it. Why would you do such a thing, Sai?" Sakura asked appalled at the idea of a suicide mission for the sake of destruction.

"The name Sai was assigned to me by Danzou-sama for this mission. I have no identity; I am nothing but one of Danzou-sama's arms; it is pointless to worry about such things."

"If that were true than why do you keep that picture book you made for your brother?" Sakura shot back unconvinced, "I'll tell you why, it's because you don't want to loose the bond you have with your brother, no one without an identity worries about things like that."

"Bond?" Sai whispered; the question was more for himself than anyone else.

Sai in tow, Yamato and the others exited Orochimaru's hideout the same way they came, wanting to secure him some place outside of the hideout.

"I met Sasuke; you should give up. He no longer cares for you; he said so himself. Why do you go so far for him," Sai asked.

Sakura was composing herself and thinking of how to respond when Naruto spoke.

"Back in the day, I couldn't stand Sasuke. He was always elite and I was always last, but it was always really a lot of fun when we were together. He… he acknowledged me more than anyone else ever did.

"Orochimaru is always with Sasuke-kun; In other words, you will have to face Orochimaru again. If you pursue him, you will definitely be torn apart and used for their experiments."

"Sasuke is my friend, someone I was able to finally form a bond with…"

"But still… against Orochimaru you will…" Sai interrupted.

"I don't care who I have to fight!" Naruto said cutting him off. "If he rips my arms off I'll kick him to death; if he rips my legs of I'll bite him to death; if he rips my head off I'll stare him to death, and if he gouges out my eyes, I'll curse him from my grave. Even if I am torn to shreds, I'm taking Sasuke back from Orochimaru!" the passion in Naruto's voice ignited flames with the hearts of his comrades and Sai. Sakura's few remaining doubts about this mission were burnt to ash.

"A bond," Sai thought, when Kabuto fell from the sky releasing a barrage of kunai. Yamato and the others were forced to dodge; Kabuto grabbed Sai and leapt away from the three Konoha ninja widening the distance between them before speaking.

"I see you are not as inept as I thought. Naruto-kun, Orochimaru will be quite pleased to hear that you are still alive. You know, it was pointless of you to come on this mission. Especially you Naruto-kun, people change, now Orochimaru won't have to appease Sasuke-kun for robbing him of the pleasure of defeating you himself."

Kabuto assessed his situation. "There is no way I will be able to defeat these three on my own. Seeing as you haven't betrayed us I will trust you, for now." He said releasing Sai.

Naruto had formed some Kage Bunshin and Sakura had begun to charge, but stopped in her tracks when Sai placed Kabuto in an arm bar surprising everyone. Maintaining the arm bar's integrity he added a wristlock and tightened it by stressing Kabuto's shoulder blade.

"What is the meaning of this," Kabuto questioned Sai furiously.

"You said people change. That means I can too."

"What?" Kabuto said angrily.

"But there are things that don't change."

"Sai you…" Naruto stuttered.

Sai continued before Naruto could finish. "That bond… I want to see it for myself."

"Sai don't let him go," Yamato said as he formed hand signs, securing Kabuto with his wood bind jutsu.

Yamato had just finished forming his Mokuton Bunshin when Naruto turned to Sai.

"Sai what are you thinking?"

"I want to know why you go so far for Sasuke-kun and what bonds really are. Sakura-san said I am still bonded to my brother and that I don't want to destroy that bond. If such bonds are truly important, than I might understand better if I see you and Sasuke-kun, that's all."

Kabuto laughed at them. "What the hell are you laughing at," Sakura demanded angrily.

"You idiots don't know the real Sasuke-kun," was all he said before Yamato began grilling him about Sasuke's location within the hideout. Kabuto glared at them for a long while, before telling them that he was hidden deep within one of the inner chambers but which one he did not know, because there were so many; he also warned them to be careful or they would find themselves surprised by a snake, because Orochimaru's quarters were also located deep within one of the many hidden chambers.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They ran through the hideout together for some time, before they reached a corridor deep within the center, which split into two directions. Yamato separated them into two groups. Sai and Naruto went one way while he and Sakura took the other. They checked door after door to no avail. Sakura and Naruto were both anxious, they had endured much for this day, and Naruto could feel the tension lying beneath his calm demeanor beginning to surface.

"There are no more doors to check on this level, let's head to the next one," Sai said calmly. Naruto nodded his head and began sprinting ahead for the next level when he collapsed. Although the Kyuubi had healed the mortal wound given to Naruto by Orochimaru, and Sakura had healed as much of the wounds given to him by his transformation, Naruto still needed more time before he would be fully recovered. Sai saw this and advised Naruto that it would do him no good to face anyone in his current condition and that they should take a quick rest. Naruto acknowledged Sai's point, but had decided resting would risk their chance at locating Sasuke. However, Sai won his point when Naruto passed out.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sakura had entered another room recklessly when Yamato decided to interject.

"Sakura I know how important it is for you to find Sasuke, but if you continue to be reckless you increase our chances of alerting Orochimaru and who knows what kind of traps he has set up."

"Yamato sensei I know…," was all Sakura said before Yamato cut her off.

"Sakura, it is only a matter of time before we find him."

"Have Naruto and Sai…?"

"No, not yet; be sure to be more careful from now on."

"Hai," Sakura replied looking down trodden.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yamato's Mokuton Bunshin stood watch over Kabuto.

"Have they found Sai yet," Kabuto asked expecting no response. "They are all probably lost wandering aimlessly. Too bad they don't have a map of the hideout like the one I have memorized in my head."

"I know I am a clone, but surely, you don't believe that I would be foolish enough to give you a chance at escape by taking you to a hideout you know so well."

"That is a shame," Kabuto said activating his chakra scalpel.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You are finally awake," Sai said to Naruto as he slowly came to. "You remind me of my brother; he used to go all out whenever he did anything like you. Except, he was noisy, brash, and vulgar, not to mention his di…."

"Sai," Naruto cried out before he could finish his last comment.

"Ah, never mind, but for some reason, when I look at you, I'm reminded of my brother." Sai said as he pulled his art book out of his pack and holding it up beside Naruto.

"If only you had met me earlier in life than you would have been able to say I was just like him." Naruto laughed. His smile provoked memories from Sai's past.

A young Sai sat drawing as his brother practiced his kunai throwing. Suddenly, his brother was over him watching and smiling as he drew. (Flash) They were much older now jumping from tree to tree as they rushed forward on some type of mission blocking kunai as they went. They landed in the middle of a clearing when they were attacked by masked men. They punch and kicked all the while blocking kunai and shuriken hurled at them. Each of the masked assailants, who attacked, fell before them, dissipating, not men, but Kage Bunshin. They dashed forward when Sai tripped and before he knew it his brother was there with a helping hand. (Flash) They made camp for the night his brother slept as he stood watch. He had begun working on the cover of the picture book.

"Sai, Sai, yo, are you okay," Naruto's voice roused Sai from his memories.

"I remember, I remember!" Sai said as he opened the book and began to draw "This is what I wanted to show my brother. The picture of our dreams." He said as he finished his drawing. For the first time, the smile on Sai's face beamed with sincerity, instead of the emptiness of his usual fake smile.

Naruto and Sai both shot up together, the moment of genuine happiness was gone, replaced by the animosity of Orochimaru's presence.

"Impressive, demon brat, I had thought you would have been a corpse by now. I guess I underestimated your power, but then again you are a Jinchuuriki." Orochimaru said as he stared at Sai. "Sai, I wonder whose side you will choose." Orochimaru said inquisitively. "Sen'ei Jashu" he cried as two snakes flew from his arm. Naruto and Sai leapt back avoiding the snakes who attempted to bite them.

"It seems you are on their side Sai, or whatever your name is." Orochimaru said calmly.

"Sai, I'll keep him busy, you go and find Sasuke."

"Understood, I will go find Sasuke and take him out of here." Sai said as he left running to continue the search.

"So, you came to take Sasuke. Your persistence is to be commended, but I wonder if things will go as you plan?" Orochimaru said smiling.

"I don't care if you are one of the legendary Sannin like Jiraiya-sama and granny Tsunade. I am going to kick your butt and take Sasuke back!" Naruto said through gritted teeth his anger surfacing for a moment. Something about Orochimaru's haughtiness got under his skin, eliciting his emotion without his consent. He would make up for his slip later, through training, but right now he needed to focus. The last time he faced this man, the encounter ended with a sword impaled through his chest. It was not something he cared to repeat. He called forth ten Kage Bunshin and prepared himself for round two against Orochimaru.

"Sen'ei Jashu" Orochimaru said releasing his snake hand jutsu. Seven snakes with there mouths opened and swords jutting forth dissipated half his clone army. "My, my, what happened to the prodigious skills you wielded earlier demon brat. Was it all just a fluke? Come show me the skill you displayed earlier," Orochimaru taunted sending forth his snake hands once again. Naruto's vision blurred, calling forth Kage Bunshin to aid him in his battle plan had cost him, but he needed them to distract Orochimaru's snake hands as he went in for the killing blow. He and his clones weaved and danced their way forward through Orochimaru's snake hands and Naruto was able to draw blood from Orochimaru's cheek before they were defeated.

Orochimaru held Naruto firmly; his tongue traveled like a snake up his cheek; it glided up until he was licking his wound. "Ku, Ku, Ku, it was very impressive the way you avoided my attack and drew first blood, but as I told you, it will take more than your impressive taijutsu skills to defeat me or Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru threw Naruto and he tumbled down the hall like a rag doll.

"I know you possess more power than this, show me."

Naruto struggled to maintain consciousness but was ripped from the reality of his current situation, pulled deep within his mind. The Kyuubi growled in a distant voice. **"It cost me much to undo your foolishness from before; do not make me regret it Boy!"**

"I have everything under control, not that I owe you any answers."Naruto quipped, happy for the chance to give the Kyuubi a taste of his own medicine. "Now send me back before your foolishness gets us both killed." Naruto's mindscape began to rumble at the Kyuubi's outrage. "And don't worry, back up is on its way." Naruto said before being violently thrown back into the reality of his situation.

He came too, his head aching. "He did that on purpose." Naruto thought as he dug a soldier pill from his pouch and ate it; he did not move from the ground, instead he waited for the soldier pill to take affect. Yamato announced their presence by sending a huge pillar crashing through the wall forcing Orochimaru back. Yamato and Sakura made their way to Naruto's side.

"Naruto are you okay," Sakura asked as she went to his side and checked him over before helping him up.

"I am fine now that you guys arrived; for some reason, Yamato-senpai, when I released my chakra like you said, I expected you to teleport here. I guess that's not how it works, huh."

"No, Naruto, that is not how it works," Yamato replied.

"I think you might want to work on that. It's a good idea." Naruto said lightheartedly, something about his last few encounters brought out the warmth and familiarity of his old self, releasing him from all the fear and apprehension he felt when he had first returned to Konoha. The heat of battle had finally brought him home. "Baka," was all Sakura said as she shook her head from side to side, there was no denying that this was her Naruto; the one she remembered from long ago.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Who's there?" Sasuke asked; he was lying down with his back facing the door to his chamber.

"So you know I am here," Sai replied as he opened the door wider. "But it is too late, I have the advantage." Sai said as his ink snakes surrounded Sasuke poised to strike.

"What is your purpose?"

"Danzou-sama ordered your death, but I have come to take you back to Konoha. Of course, I originally came to kill you. However, Naruto cares for you greatly, and I want to protect that bond of friendship he is trying so hard to keep."

"Bonds, you disturbed my sleep for that," Sasuke said activating his Sharingan. Sai sensing this bound him with his ink snakes.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Naruto-kun, I will allow you to live for now; do your best to try and kill another Akatsuki member for me. For now, I have business to attend to with that Sai boy." Orochimaru said disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Yamato bent to retrieve Sai's pack when a book fell out. Picking up the book Yamato exclaimed "This is not good."

"What is it Yamato-sensei," Sakura asked.

"It would appear that we where wrong about Sai's mission. He was not here to be a liaison between Orochimaru and Danzou, but as an assassin."

"What makes you say that," Naruto asked

"Because of this book, Anbu elite carry a book just like this. It is an assassination list or bingo book." Yamato thumbed through the pages and found that the first half were all crossed off.

"What are all the Xs for," Naruto questioned.

"I believe they are for the people he has already taken care of. Each person in this book had been known to have strong anti-Konoha tendencies, and none of the people in this book were pushovers."

"Then it's nothing to worry about," Sakura said.

"That would be true, except for this," Yamato held up the bingo book, revealing a picture of Sasuke. "Danzou-sama sees Sasuke as a threat since he is to be Orochimaru's next body, and he must have sent Sai here to stop that from happening. He wasn't trying to betray Konoha, he was trying to protect it; this is exactly something a warmonger like him would try."

"I can't believe it! I knew we shouldn't have trusted him. We should have just left him behind with Kabuto." Sakura ranted enraged. "What were we thinking?"

"There is no point in standing around and whining; no matter what we believe Sai's orders are. Right now we have to join back up with him and get to Sasuke." Naruto said believing that Sai had changed and would not follow the orders given him by Danzou.

"Naruto is right. I just felt Sai's chakra a moment ago, let's hurry" Yamato said taking off down the corridor with Sakura and Naruto close behind.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sai stood dusting himself off, Sasuke in a display of power had destroyed the whole of his room. Sakura rushed through the corridor opening and grabbed Sai by the collar demanding to know how many times he would betray them. She froze when a familiar voice called her name. "Sakura," her heart skipped a beat as she slowly turned to face the voices owner. "Sasuke-kun," she whispered, her eyes widening with disbelief. How long had she waited for this moment? It seemed like a dream; she held her breathe, for fear that even the slightest disruption would cause her to wake, and she didn't want this moment to ever end.

Naruto dashed forward from behind Yamato and was the second to exit the long corridor.

"Naruto, I see you're her as well." Sasuke said greeting him. "I am guessing then, that Kakashi is not too far behind."

"Gomen, but Kakashi couldn't make it. I am Yamato and I am filling in as team captain for the time being." Yamato said introducing himself. "Sasuke, team Kakashi is here to take you back to Konoha."

"A team of loser's, and you must be my replacement," Sasuke said looking at Sai.

Sai unsheathed his small sword. "I am here to help take you back for Naruto. I wish to help him save his "bond" with you, and because I think he can help me to remember what it is like to feel what bonds are."

Sasuke laughed mirthlessly before reappearing before Naruto. "When did he move," Sakura thought.

"Instead of chasing me down, wouldn't your time be better spent training yourself to become Hokage, eh, Naruto-kun," Sasuke said placing his arm on Naruto's shoulder.

"A man who can't save his friend, shouldn't be able to become Hokage, should he Sasuke-kun." Sasuke answered Naruto's question by drawing Kusanagi out and drove it towards Naruto's liver. Naruto disappeared from Sasuke's sight and reappeared behind him holding a kunai to his throat.

"And who said I haven't been training," Naruto asked as everyone gave the two boys there space, not wanting to interfere.

"I did," Sasuke answered from behind Naruto as he came in for a stab through his ribcage.

Naruto spied Sasuke over his right shoulder, and spun away to his back left side, leaving Sasuke to destroy his own clone. Naruto finished his movement; capturing Sasuke by the throat, he slammed him into the ground sweeping his legs out from under him. Yamato began forming the signs necessary for his wood bind technique. Sasuke seeing this quickly brought his Kusanagi around in a chopping motion forcing Naruto to withdraw his hold and flipped up. Sai and Sakura charged Sasuke in order to recapture him but before they could get close enough he performed a Chidori-Nagashi (1000 bird's current). Naruto saw the lightening and moved to dodge but was not fast enough and was electrocuted. Sai, Sakura, and Naruto were blown back, away from Sasuke. Sasuke used that moment to leap into the air after Naruto; he angled the blade for a strike at his heart but was stopped by Yamato.

Yamato grabbed Sasuke by the wrist and hurled him away from Naruto spinning like a cyclone. Sasuke performed a flip in mid air and landed on his feet. Dashing forward, Sasuke sent a current of electricity through his sword and stabbed at Yamato, who drew his kunai and tried to deflect the blade, only to have it slice his kunai in half and imbed itself in his left shoulder. Sasuke drove him back to a peace of debris and pinned him their.

"You blocked my sword wrong" he told Yamato as he ran a steady current of electricity down his blade.

"Sasuke, don't you understand? Orochimaru just wants to take control of your body." Naruto said weakly, pleading for Sasuke to gain some sense.

"If that's what happens, then it happens." Sasuke said emotionlessly. "My vengeance is all that matters to me; as long as I can exact it I don't care what happens to me or anyone else. As it stands right now, I am no match for Itachi, so if I have to sacrifice my body to Orochimaru in order to have my vengeance and kill him, I would sacrifice my life a million times over."

Sasuke leapt back onto high ground, as Yamato removed his Kusanagi from his shoulder by creating a wood pole.

"Enough talk," Yamato said as he stood and squared himself with Sasuke. "Naruto, Sakura, I had hoped to spare you the sight of me injuring Sasuke, but now it is time for me to get serious.

"Captain Yamato!" Sakura said startled and worried about what was to come.

"Get Serious," Naruto asked.

"He is the same as Orochimaru, a rogue ninja who left our village, and we cannot allow him to roam free, and we are returning with him to Konoha no matter what!"

"Konoha, I am tired of all of you." Sasuke said as he stabbed his Kusanagi into the ground and began to form hand signs. "This is the end."

Orochimaru appeared from nowhere and grabbed his hand. "Sasuke-kun, you are not using that technique.

"Beat it." Sasuke replied tersely when Kabuto appeared a few feet away.

"Come now, your still using such foul language with Orochimaru-sama."

"I see no reason to stop."

"You know what Akatsuki is up to. That's why we want Konoha to help eliminate them." Kabuto pointed out to Sasuke annoying him to no end. "If they are able to kill even one Akatsuki member, that's one less to get in the way of your vengeance." Kabuto continued to reason with him.

"That's pathetic."

"That's improving your chances of success if even by one percent."

"Let's go." Orochimaru said releasing Sasuke. Sasuke sheathed his Kusanagi all the while staring at Naruto, before turning and walking away.

Sakura leapt after him crying his name, but Naruto wrapped her ankle with wire and yanked her back. Their forms slowly disappeared, consumed by fire.

Sakura ran at Naruto angrily and gripped him by the collar. She cocked her right arm as far back as she could, before releasing a chakra enhanced punch, targeting his jaw. Naruto brought his left hand straight up from his side turning his palm down and deflected the punch at the forearm. Before bringing his hand across and slapping her in the face.

She stared back at Naruto teary eyed. "Sakura, we are in no condition to give chase, let alone to fight." was all Naruto could say before he started coughing up blood and fell to his knees. The sight was enough to bring Sakura back to her senses; she knelt down beside him and began tending to his internal injuries all the while crying.

"We still have six months to save him, and three people have a better chance than two." Sai said smiling in an attempt to stem her tears.

Yamato looked at them and thought "So it begins again."

Next Time: **Chapter 15: To tell or not to tell: Legacy of the Yondiame**


	15. Chapter 15

**This chapter came quickly, and yet, it felt like it took forever. I hope you guys truly enjoy it. I know I cried...Not, but still I thought it was a decent chapter. :OD**

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto

**Chapter 15: ****To Tell or Not To Tell: Legacy of the Yondaime**

Naruto lied in the hospital bed staring at the ceiling. How many times had he been here before? Though it depressed Naruto to learn that he still was not strong enough to save Sasuke, lying in this hospital bed staring at the ceiling, he felt a twinge of nostalgia. They had given him the room he visited so often growing up. He chuckled a little at the thought of having V.I.P. status at the hospital. He even thought the Sendiame might be laughing with him from where ever he was, but what else could you expect, after having that enraged old man storm in here with an unconscious, bloodied, child, screaming to any and all who would hear, that if he died so too would the medical staff that allowed it. A tear slid down Naruto's cheek. How many more precious people would he have to loose before he gained the strength to protect them. He wished Master Yoshikawa were here. He would have an answer; he always had an answer, and even if it was not one you wanted to hear, he would be right.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"We are not giving up" Sakura said to Tsunade, after team seven, had finished debriefing her about the events that took place on their mission. "Very well, you are to remain on stand by until Naruto is healed and you are ready to take on your next mission." She told them. "Dismissed," came Tsunade's command. Yamato lingered behind while Sakura and Sai left to their respective living quarters, both agreeing to meet up later to visit Naruto. Once they had gone, Yamato continued the debriefing. "You were right about Sai. Danzou had assigned him a secret mission. Under Danzou-sama's orders, Sai, acting as Anbu, was to assess and eliminate dangers to Konoha. He joined team seven as a means of completing his mission; he was to eliminate Sasuke Uchiha to prevent him from becoming Orochimaru's vessel."

"I could never stand that man. He is overbearing, and his methods are brutal and barbaric. And yet, at the same time he is just thinking of Konoha's well being."

"If you are talking about Danzou-sama, you might want to reserve your judgment until you have seen this," Yamato told Tsunade handing her the envelope they had retrieved from Sai's room within Orochimaru's compound.

"What's this?" She said opening the envelope. Shizune's eyes widened with shock, at what she glimpsed over Tsunade's shoulder. In her hand was a list of all the Anbu agents loyal to Konoha's Hokage. "How did that bastard get a hold of these top secret documents," Tsunade thought angrily

"Shizune, go to file storage and change out all the guards and passwords immediately!" Tsunade shouted.

"Hai," Shizune said bowing.

"NOW," Tsunade roared furiously as she gazed ferociously at her. Feeling the intensity of her gaze, Shizune leapt back, mouth wide opened and bugged eyed. Yamato laughed uncomfortably as Shizune bolted from the room, which he thought she did for fear of her life, rather than in loyal obedience.

"I really can't stand him! The outside threat of Orochimaru and Akatsuki is bad enough, but now I have to be twice as cautious to avoid sabotage from the inside as well!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"It is very unlike you to fail in the completion of a mission," Danzou said to Sai slamming his cane on the ground.

"I have a request sir."

"A request," Danzou asked curious.

"Yes, I wish to remain with team Kakashi for a while longer."

Danzou stared incredulously at the genuine smile that graced Sai's face before answering, "Tsunade has already talked to me about that. I trust you haven't forgotten, Sai, emotions lead to hatred and hatred leads to war."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kakashi was laid up in the hospital rereading the third installment of Ichi, Ichi Paradise, when Jiraiya came in and told him the account of team sevens adventure.

"They found Sasuke."

"Yes, and it would appear that your former pupil has grown to be very strong too. He even fared well against Naruto."

"He was that powerful." Kakashi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes he was. Of course, Naruto had sustained heavy damages from Orochimaru and the Kyuubi and was not fully healed, but either way, from what I hear, Sasuke was very impressive."

"And Naruto," Kakashi questioned Jiraiya further.

"Although you can still tell that these events have affected him, who ever found him, has trained him well. He has taken everything that has happened in stride. He truly has grown these last six months."

Kakashi, who was due to be released the next day, decided he would pay Naruto a visit. He was after all, still one of Naruto's instructors and team members.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sakura stood under a tree outside Sai's house waiting for her newest team member to wrap up whatever it was that he was doing. Sai was finishing a portrait of his new team, when Sakura had arrived. He quickly finished the last few strokes needed to complete the portrait, and set it aside to dry, before he leapt out his window to join her.

"It's about time you got here! Hasn't anyone ever told you that it's rude to keep someone waiting, especially a girl." Sakura chastised him as they started off to the hospital to visit Naruto.

"No," was all he replied before taking out a scroll and scribbling on it before placing it back in the pouch he retrieved it from.

"What are you writing?"

"Oh, aagh, it's nothing; I was just writing down an errand that I wished to accomplish later on so I wouldn't forget." Sai said quickly. Sakura just shrugged and they traveled the rest of the way to the hospital in silence.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Come to visit Naruto," came a voice from inside a room Sakura and Sai had just passed. They doubled back and entered to find Kakashi sitting up in his bed reading.

"Kakashi-sensei I thought you were released," Sakura replied startled to still find him here at the hospital.

"I was supposed to be released earlier today, but I was asked to remain for one more day. If you came to see Naruto, he is sleeping."

"This is Sai, our new team mate." Sakura said introducing him to Kakashi.

"Tsunade has already informed me about him," Kakashi said as he nodded his head at Sai in greeting.

"How do you know Naruto is sleeping, Kakashi-sensei" Sakura asked curiously.

"I asked one of the hospital nurses how he was doing and she checked for me. You should come back tomorrow and we will all go visit him together."

So this is the infamous Hatake, Kakashi Sai thought as he stood quietly beside Sakura.

"Hai," Sakura replied as she exited the room with Sai.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Jiraiya leaned against a wall in Naruto's room watching the boy rest. "You look a lot like your father" he thought to himself, when Naruto came too.

"How long have you been here old man?"

"Not long."

"What brings you here, research," Naruto asked playfully.

Jiraiya stood straight up feigning indignity. "Hmh, and here I was concerned for my student and thought he might be bored, so I brought this book on the principles of sealing, but now I see that his mind has become besieged with nothing but disrespect for his Master and has no time for books. I guess there is no point in giving this one to you now. "

Naruto perked up in excitement when Jiraiya pulled out the book and tossed it to him.

"Thank you Jiraiya-sama. I was going out of my mind staring at this ceiling all day. At least I can further my ninja training, even if it only involves theoretical knowledge."

"When you are ready, we can practice some practical application."

"That would be great!" Naruto said excitedly.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sakura, Sai, and Kakashi waited patiently as Tsunade gave his chart one last look before dismissing him.

"All your test results show that you are completely recovered. You are free to go Kakashi."

"Hai, thank you, Tsunade-sama," Kakashi said jumping out of bed.

"You can return home and rest. Team seven is on standby until Naruto is fully recovered." Tsunade said making to leave.

"When will that be," Sakura asked before Tsunade departed.

"In about two days."

Jiraiya met Tsunade at the door. "We need to talk," he said to her discretely.

"We will talk, later. Right now, I have more pressing things, like the well being of my patients and the running of the village." Tsunade said passing him and heading to the room of another patient. How long would they argue about revealing to Naruto the knowledge of his parents? They had been arguing this topic since his return from Heaven and Earth Bridge. She had protested under the argument that now was not the right time. He had been through enough, and the blow of learning that his father had in part been the cause of his suffering, she felt, would send him over the top. Jiraiya stood firm in his belief that a perfect time would never come, and that he was more than capable of dealing with the truth. She did not agree, and had wrestled a promise from Jiraiya not to tell Naruto until they had discussed it further. She wondered how much longer she could avoid the topic before Jiraiya cornered her, and what she could do to take this one burden from Naruto.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The visit from his team was a happy distraction for Naruto, but it reminded him just how restless he felt, so he decided to slip out the window and visit the roof of the Hokage's office. He had spent many nights there in his younger years. It offered the best view of Hokage Mountain and his dreams. Not to mention, it was a good place to ease drop on the happenings of Konoha. Well, as long as you were capable of masking your chakra. Naruto laughed as he leapt from roof top to roof top; how many times had he been caught before learning that one useful and much underestimated technique.

Tsunade and Jiraiya had been stubbornly arguing back and forth for hours, both unable to come to an amicable agreement to the current issue between the two.

"It would appear we will not be coming to any kind of agreement," Jiraiya said calmly.

"You're damned right!" Tsunade said slamming her hands down on the desk. "I told you, with all that he has been through, now's not the right time. Why can't you see that, you STUBBORN OLD GOAT?" she finished yelling.

"Because, you are not thinking clearly, you are to busy being a mother hen. This is not something you can protect him from! It is something he will have to deal with eventually, unless, you are planning to keep him in the dark for the rest of his life." Jiraiya said finishing his argument.

"I just might!"

"You shouldn't even joke about that Tsunade. I have kept my promise, and I have not said a word until we discussed it further, but it is clear we won't be reaching any agreements on this issue. He is my responsibility, not yours, and I say we tell him."

Tsunade rounded the desk and squared off menacingly, grabbing Jiraiya by the collar. She was about to say something when she was interrupted.

"Tell me what?" a voice asked from the balcony.

Tsunade spun on her heals startled, releasing Jiraiya. "Naruto, what are you doing here? Better yet, why are you not in the hospital resting? I did not clear you for discharge." Tsunade said in a voice of outrage trying to avoid the question.

"Tell me what?" Naruto repeated.

"It is nothing that you need to concern yourself with at the moment you just go back to the hospital before I get really angry," but Naruto did not budge.

"Tell him Tsunade, you can't avoid this any longer, and he deserves to know." Tsunade glared angrily at Jiraiya as she sat down and rifled through her desk. Naruto waited patiently. She dug out a small box and a letter addressed to Naruto when Shizune came running into the office unannounced. She was about to inform her that Naruto had gone missing from the hospital, when she spied him in the center of the office, quickly and quietly she exited.

"This is for you Naruto," Tsunade said defeated. "It was to be given to you by the Third, when you had passed your Chuunin exams and proven yourself mature and capable. Of course, you know what happened that day, and after that, the time just never seemed to be right."

"What is it?'

"A gift from your father that last thing he could ever do for you. It is his legacy to you as well as an explanation and apology." Jiraiya chimed in saving a very uncomfortable Tsunade from having to explain.

"My father…, legacy…, explanation…., apology…, for what," Naruto stuttered.

"For being unable find another way to save the village, and for leaving you," Tsunade said sorrowfully.

"At the time we thought it was best for you not to know your parentage," Jiraiya continued.

"Best, BEST! It was best for whom; because it certainly wasn't best for me!" The words escaped bitterly from Naruto's lips as he fought back his tears. Tsunade and Jiraiya remained silent allowing Naruto to regain his composure.

"Do you know who my mother was as well," Naruto asked dispassionately after reigning in his emotions.

"We do," Jiraiya said somberly.

"And what was your reason for keeping her a secret?"

"She would have led you to your father, and as I said, we couldn't let that happen," Jiraiya finished.

"What possible reason…" Naruto started but Jiraiya cut him off.

"Your father was a very powerful ninja. He used that power for the prosperity of the village and for what he felt was the greater good, regardless of the consequences it brought upon him."

"Consequences like what?"

"Like a great deal of enemies who would strike out at him anyway they could. He married your mother in secret to keep her safe. Only a few privileged people knew to attend. It was one of Konoha's most tragic of days, when the happiest moment of their lives came. You were born during one of Konoha's darkest hours. The day the Kyuubi attacked. Your father was frantic. Your mother had lost so much blood and the village was in turmoil. The Kyuubi was at our gates. Many good men and women had lost their lives that day. Your mother was one of them. She died giving birth to you. Her dying wish was for your father to save the village that had given her the loves of her life, but he wasn't powerful enough to defeat the Kyuubi. So he did the only thing he could think of. He used a forbidden jutsu. The jutsu sealed the Kyuubi away in a newborn child. A child he loved very much and wanted to see grow to be a strong and descent man as well as a great shinobi, but the jutsu's price was his own life. He asked the greatest man he knew if he could watch over you and to give you that box when you were old enough to understand, but life is fickle, and the days we have on this earth unperceivable, even to the mightiest of beings." Jiraiya could speak no further and Tsunade finished.

"Your mothers name was Uzumaki, Kushina and your father was known to the village as Konoha's Yellow Flash the Yondaime."

The enormity of this revelation left Naruto speechless, his head swam with so many emotions that the world spun and he stumbled back. Jiraiya helped him to a seat. Naruto closed his eyes, fighting back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. Anger, sadness, joy all battled for a place in his heart.

"Naruto, Naruto are you okay," Tsunade's voice came gently.

"I need to go."

"Naruto, I know you will need some time, and you can have it. I will tell team seven."

Naruto left the Hokage's tower the same way he came.

"Well that went better than I thought," Jiraiya said firmly. Tsunade gave him the angriest stare she could muster under the circumstances, and Jiraiya followed Naruto's exit shouting back, "Don't worry I will make sure he is okay."

"YOU BETTER OR ELSE!" Tsunade bellowed after him.

Next Time: **Chapter 16:** **Haguru's Return: A Master's Farewell**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey, hey, hey :OD It looks like school is back in town, but that doesn't mean the story ends, or that chapters take five years to write. However, it does mean that the pace might slow down due to a very unwanted case of the homeworks:O( Anyhows, forget I even wrote that, because it is all speculation at this point. We won't know how things turn out until were there. Otherwise, I would be a psychic and you would have a definite timeline of when to expect things. Not to mention, the fact that you would have replies to all your nifty reviews ahead of time and think, why is this random guy stalking my email. I should report him:OP Well I hope you enjoy it as always. **

**Disclaimer:** I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto

**Chapter 16:** **Haguru's Return: A Master's Farewell**

It took Naruto almost a month, to realize that something was wrong with his Master. Naruto sat by his Masters bedside helping him to sip some medicinal herbal tea.

"Haguru-kun it has been almost two months since your return and you have yet to tell me what troubles you," Yoshikawa said coughing.

"That's because it is not important, right now, what is important is making sure you are healthy once again."

"Haguru I never told you because I figured you would be gone before it came to pass, but I am dying and have been doing so for a long time now."

"No Master, you can't go! You still have a promise to keep. You promised that you would tell me your history remember," Naruto said, tears falling.

"Haguru, all I have is yours, all my knowledge, this place, and my legacy if you want it."

There was that word again, legacy, why was there always a legacy? Legacy of a Jinchuuriki, legacy of a deceased father, and now of a dying Master, Naruto was really starting to hate that word.

"Master I am honored, but I have more legacies than I care to bear." Naruto said somberly "For once in my life, I would rather someone asked me to be their side kick or something other than the bearer of their legacy."

"He, he, he, that is the curse of one with great strength, he usually must bear much," Yoshikawa said rasping.

"I am not strong by any means Master." Naruto cried. "In the months since I have regained my memories, I have failed to uphold my promise on many numerous occasions. I promised not to fight in anger, yet, when faced with this one opponent named Itachi I failed miserably, and then when I first returned to home my emotions constantly got the better of me. There is no strength here Master, none."

"Haguru" Yoshikawa half barked half coughed. "Must you always do that?"

"Do What Master?"

"Tear yourself down, do you think I would train someone whom I thought was weak and undeserving?"

"No Master."

"Then why do you sit here insulting me. Self pity will do nothing for you but bring you misery. You have strength, you have always had it. Your problem is not that you are weak, but that you are unable to deal with the reality of life."

"And why should I deal with reality, when reality is, life sucks!"

"Yes, Haguru, life is difficult, sometimes chaotic, and sometimes cruel and you never know what is going to happen from one moment to the next, but it's also beautiful, miraculous, and very precious. You knew that once. What has happened that was so bad that you would choose to forget." Yoshikawa asked concerned. His first thought, was that he was treated harshly; that he had returned to a village that despised him for being Jinchuuriki, but that made no sense, since he had not returned right away. So there had to be something else that troubled him.

"Haguru, practice your kata and leave me rest. We will talk more tomorrow."

"Yes master," Naruto said turning to leave.

"And don't forget to breathe," Yoshikawa wheezed after him.

Yoshikawa did not know how to tell Naruto that he had about a week left to live; at best, two, if he was lucky. Long ago during the great shinobi wars, which forged the reputation of the great nations, Yoshikawa had been poisoned by a rear and now extinct poison, whose cure had died with it. The poison once ingested would cause an agonizing death within minutes, but if one realized what was happening and acted quickly he could halt the progress of the poison through the use of his chakra until he was able to retrieve the antidote. This poison was the specialty of his clan and was used as a training tool during the creation of their art. Any one who wished to be considered the elite would under go the trial of poison. They would ingest the poison before heading out into battle. They would receive the antidote once they returned. The weak perished, either at the hands of their enemies, or because in the heat of battle, they failed to retain the proper amount of chakra to keep the poison at bay. Yoshikawa was a master of chakra control, but even so it was no cure, just a temporary solution, and after all these years, his time had run out. He willed himself out of bed and made his way to the room which had been dubbed the forbidden zone by Naruto. Sitting down at his desk he grabbed a pen and paper and began to write.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX **

Naruto was practicing his kata for the billionth time. Since his return, Master Yoshikawa had been even crueler in his training regime than when he had first begun Naruto's training. At first Naruto thought it was because his Master wanted to make up for lost time, but then his Master had collapsed during one of their training sessions and Naruto knew that their time together was coming to a close. Why, was the question on his mind; he did not have many precious people; so then, why did Kami take it upon himself to rob him of those few people he did have.

"Acknowledge the thoughts, now release the thoughts," Naruto said to himself as he breathed in. His left foot planted, Naruto shifted all his weight to it, and drew in his right foot until his right heel was a hairs distance from it. His toe pointed to the ground. His hands circled forming an unseen sphere at the bottom of his belly to the top of his naval. More thoughts entered his mind. It started with my parents, then Sasuke, and now my Master and friend. "Acknowledge the thoughts, now release the thoughts," he said once again. Exhaling slowly, he stretched out with his right foot to take a step. Pointing his right toe to the sky, he placed his heel slowly on the ground. Gradually, he shifted seventy percent of his weight from his left foot to his right as he completed the step. His left hand traveled to his waste palm face down; his right hand bent at a forty five degree angle, slowly ascended palm facing him aligned with his chin as he finished exhaling. He stood in that position like a statue, slowly inhaling and exhaling deeply for a count of eight breathes. His mind completely empty, the world faded to nothing.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Isn't it bad enough that you harass me when I am not in control of my emotions? Now you have to harass me when I have finally gained some level of peace too," Naruto said exasperated to find himself once again before the Kyuubi.

"**He, He, He, He, as much as I enjoy making you suffer, you impudent pup, you brought yourself to me, not the other way around. I have better things to do, than to spend my time with someone as worthless as you."** The Kyuubi growled.

"Like what, lick your no, no, spots." Naruto scoffed at the Kyuubi. Naruto's mindscape shook with the Kyuubi's annoyance at Naruto's insolence, but instead of bandying his power about, the Kyuubi opted instead for words. **"Do not take your Frustrations out on me, you little nothing. You failed to rescue your friend through your own weakness. You should be more appreciative that I did not allow you to die such a pathetic death." **

Naruto bit his lower lip refusing to give into the anger the Kyuubi wished to provoke. "If you didn't call me here than why am I here?"

"**I do not, nor will I ever, have to answer to you ungracious whelp."** The Kyuubi spat.

"For once, I wished you would answer my question, instead of making me suffer through your arrogant and undeserved ego. As great as you might have been, now, you are a bed time story told to scare little children into behaving, or a reason for me to be hunted and punished. You are nothing but a tool at the beckon call of the beings you hate the most."

This time it was the Kyuubi's turn to reign in his anger. **"I AM NOONE'S TOOL! BRAZEN LITTLE….. I SHOULD DEVOUR YOUR SOUL,"** Naruto's mindscape shook violently as the Kyuubi fought to repress his rage. After a long moment, his anger finally subsided. The Kyuubi then performed an act so unnaturally out of character for him; it sent Naruto reeling in disbelief.

"**Perhaps you are here because you have a question you feel that I could answer, not that I would, unless that answer brought you unfathomable suffering." **The Kyuubi said breathing heavily. The Kyuubi's hot moist breathe caused Naruto's spiky and unruly hair to fall to his shoulders, and he began to laugh a deep laugh.

"What are you laughing at?"! Naruto, spying his reflection in a pool of water beneath him, began to laugh as well.

"**You are truly an idiot and a weakling, but your idiocy and the strife it brings amuses me to no end brat." **The Kyuubi said, after resuming a mirthless expression. The change had been so quick it startled Naruto into seriousness as well.

"I don't understand?"

"**Are you that feeble minded that you have forgotten my words? Have you not yet figured out the consequences of tampering with the seal? Of course not, greed and arrogance those are the traits which define you fleshlings the most. Your kind always does things without thought or foresight, so long as they can satisfy their greed and arrogance. What great ego's you finite and fledgling creatures possess."**

"I much preferred you as an arrogant and malicious beast. If I hear any more sermons from you, I might just give you your wish and end my life." Naruto said bluntly. The Kyuubi let out a small growl before continuing.

"**It annoys me to say this, but we are bonded you and I. I can longer escape this pitiful excuse of a body without dire consequence to myself. Before I might have hoped to be free, but now, the price of freedom is more than I am willing to pay, and so I have had to suffer your thoughts disturbing my sleep endlessly for these last few months."**

"When did this happen?"

"**Irrelevant, what has been done, you cannot undo. Now ask your question so that I may sleep free from interruptions."**

"Does that mean you will come to my aid when I call?"

"**I am no ones tool boy, but if it is a threat against my life. I will do what I have to in order to survive."**

"I don't think so!" Naruto said furiously as he recalled what happened the last time the Kyuubi did whatever he had too. "I will not allow a repeat of what happened to Master Jiraiya or Sakura"

"**Then you better not give me cause to do so."**

"Where is all this coming from?" Naruto asked. He had to know the reason for the sudden change from malevolent demon which would stop at nothing to control him, to mild mannered annoyance.

"**ENOUGH! I have had my fill of your idiotic nature and pointless questions child. Ask your question so that I may sleep undisturbed."**

"You can't just say something as boggling as that and expect me to not have more questions that need answering? Besides you owe me, after all the suffering you have caused me, you owe me."

"**I owe you nothing! It was not I who chose this fate for you. Now ask your question, or forever wallow in misery, either way, is fine with me!" **

"Did you know the man who put you here was my father?

"**I had my suspicions. Only a feeble mind would not see it. The resemblance between you two is uncanny." **

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"**As if I owe you any explanations, you should be grateful I have spoken to you at all."**

"Why did you decide to speak to me?"

"**Because I knew it would cause you grief."** The Kyuubi said before sending Naruto back and ending the conversation. Naruto, however, did not believe him. Naruto decided to call it a day. He had a lot of things to think about thanks to the Kyuubi. Especially, asking Master Yoshikawa about more mental training, so that he would be able to prevent himself from hurting his precious people ever again.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was not the seal that had forged the bond between Naruto and the Kyuubi, but the Kyuubi himself. It was the only way to stop Naruto from entering to the other side, which would have sentenced him to an eternity within the belly of that bastard the Shinigami. The Kyuubi had done some things in his past, things, which did not please Kami, and which he would have had to suffer for had he been caught by that mindless automaton. Acting in self preservation, the Kyuubi had failed to anticipate all the consequences of his actions, and was disgusted when he found he had grown what could only be described as feelings for the boy. The Kyuubi hoped that, that was the only consequence of his desperate action, but only time would tell.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto stood fixed unable to move. Over his Master's shoulder he read the words Last Will and Testament of Kenichi, Uzumaki also known as Kenichi, Yoshikawa the wandering hermit.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yoshikawa sat at his desk and thought, "Kami give me the strength to finish writing," as he wiped the blood that had begun to trickle down his lip. He continued writing, as his thoughts drifted into the past.

The great ninja wars were coming to a close, there were only a few clans left who still warred with each other, but a peace accord had finally been forged amongst all the greatest ninja clans throughout the land. All had agreed it was better than the inevitable extinction they would face if they continued. It was a bloody and brutal time for Yoshikawa's clan. Though small, they were able to gain much recognition through their battles with the Uchiha's and other various powerful clans. Yoshikawa's grandfather had the privilege to visit the newly formed Konoha and was asked to join by the Shodai Hokage himself. It was returning home as an emissary to Konoha that would render Yoshikawa powerless to stop the murder of his family and the destruction of his clan. His was a small clan within whirlpool, so their markets did not host many foreign commodities, and this trek brought him the opportunity to spoil his family with exotic gifts. He returned home and found the village and his house a blaze; his closest pupil Hamaru had finished murdering the last of the unkown assailants.

"WHAT HAPPENED HAMARU," Yoshikawa screamed, as he jumped off his horse and ran to his pupil's side.

"I was out in the forest training when I saw the smoke, by the time I arrived this was all there was. I am sorry Master." Hamaru said lowering his head in shame. Yoshikawa placed his hand on Hamaru's shoulder.

"It was not your fault," Yoshikawa said when Hamaru lashed out cutting his cheek with a kunai. Yoshikawa was bent over in pain. Realizing what was happening, he focused his chakra towards the poison which had envaded his body. Halting the poison, Yoshikawa stood and regained his composure. Hamaru, enamored with his accomplishment, smiled.

"You won't need any of this" Hamaru said as he tossed the last of the poisons antidote into the fire. "And don't bother wasting your time searching for more I burnt the rest."

"Out of respect, I have given you the privilege of a slow death so that you may give yourself a proper burial. Oh, and don't worry about your family, I took the liberty of cremating them to save you time. It was the least I could do, to repay you sensei."

"Why?"

Hamaru just laughed, turned and walked away. Yoshikawa formed a quick series of hand signs, but was stopped from completing his jutsu by a bolt of lightening to the shoulder. Hamaru stood over him. "Pathetic," was all Yoshikawa heard before losing consciousness.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX End Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto placed a picture of his mother and her family by the grave of his Master, friend, and grandfather. "Life is difficult, sometimes chaotic, and sometimes cruel, but it is also miraculous and very precious," he said ,staring up into the sky. "You were right grandfather; I do know. I just wished I would have been able to tell you that your daughter lived long enough to give birth to me. For missing the chance to ease your pain, if even just a little, I am sorry." He bowed his head and prayed silently.

Jiraiya quietly took up a position next to Naruto, bowed his head and said a small prayer of thanks for the man who had done so much for him. Naruto was the first to break the silence.

"I knew you were around; I just don't know how you got here without me noticing. Not that it matters anymore." Jiraiya smiled a small smile.

"Gaki, I am the great toad sage, did you really think two years of training would reveal all my secrets too you?" Jiraiya wanted to ask who the man was, but spying the picture, he made an educated guess. If one day Naruto wanted to confirm that guess for him, then it would happen because Naruto chose to do so freely, not because he had to ask. Besides, now was not the time to press such issues.

"I know a sure fire way to help you get through all of this, Naruto."

"What?"

"Training," Jiraiya smiled riley, as Naruto's ears perked up when the words reached them. "Same old Naruto," he thought to himself.

"And Konoha?"

"Tsunade already knows, and as far as your team mates are concerned, everyone except for Kakashi believes that's where you have been all this time."

"How long?"

"From what I have seen of your training these last few months, maybe another two years, depends on you."

"I have to grab a few things."

"Then its settled. I know the perfect spot to train at too; it's not far from a very nice hot spring I found during my travels. We can go there and soak our tired bones after a hard days training."

Naruto left shaking his head; "same old perverted Master," he thought as he went to fetch his things.

Next Time: **Chapter 17: ****Shikamaru's revenge**


	17. Chapter 17

**Such a long tale for such a short part, but I really thought that this part of Naruto's story was done well, except for the part were they made him the fool of cool against Kakuzu. Anyways it is very tight to canon, but I hope you guys enjoy the small changes I made:O) School is starting to look like the trials and tribulations of Naruto, but instead of Naruto it is staring me.:O( See you next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto**

**Chapter 17: Shikamaru's Revenge**

Shikamaru was shadow boxing some unseen enemy with the knuckle dagger's that were the favorite of his Master. His thoughts drifted as he went through his forms. How long had he been training? How much longer until he was ready? Shikamaru was one of Konoha's greatest tacticians of this age and probably one of the greatest in its history, but he had been lazy and did not like troublesome situations, until that day. Now he gladly took on the work it required to avenge his Master. He had researched as much as he could about the Jashin faith and ran through millions of scenarios on how to isolate and destroy the monster responsible for his Masters death. He would not fail. His Master's soul would find rest soon. Finished with his shadow boxing, he focused his chakra into the knuckle daggers which were capable of storing chakra for later use. It was a unique tool; a tool Shikamaru had devoted all his time in mastering. He had become pretty efficient in the use of his new weapons too, although he was not quite as good as his Master was yet, he was getting there. He was so diligent in his practice, that it was even possible that he might surpass his Master in their use by the end of his training.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino met Chouji at Asuma's grave. They had taken it upon themselves to ensure the graves upkeep. Once a month they had come here, Ino would bring fresh flowers, and Chouji would help her dust the head stone before they burnt incense and prayed for their Master to watch over them as they trained to become the elite ninja he always knew they were. At first they came, in an attempt to catch Shikamaru, but after a few months they knew it was pointless. Since their Masters passing, Shikamaru had hidden himself away from the world, including those closest to him. The only people to have seen him after the tragedy were his father and the Hokage. He didn't even bother to attend Asuma's funeral. She knew they had been close, but she thought it was a little rude the way he shut those who cared about him out, and she vowed if ever she saw him again to give him a good smack and tongue lashing for feeling guilty about things he was powerless to change.

Chouji had taken Asuma's request for him to go on a diet to heart, and had forced himself to diet for a month before giving into his body's cry for food. Although he failed to maintain his diet, he did increase his training tenfold; vowing as did the rest of his team, to avenge his Master's death. Chouji's training had transformed his once pudgy body into the physique of a strong man. Ino thought Chouji's new strong man body which she admitted was nice to look at, would more than appease Asuma's spirit for failing in his diet. Lighting their incense, they placed it in the incense holder before the headstone and bowed their heads.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Finished with the sealing of Akatsuki's latest acquisition, the two tailed Biju. Kakuzu began walking down the mountain.

"Oy, Oy, Oy, where are you heading? I promised I would return and kill those ingrates once we were finished." Hidan yelled running after Kakuzu.

"Do you really believe that they would be waiting for you to return after all this time? And even if they were, it would definitely be a trap. You truly are an annoying idiot that the world could do without, Hidan. I am heading to Konoha to claim my prize. The bounty for the body of Asuma of the twelve guardians is too good to pass up. Especially, after we took the time to kill him."

"What we? I killed that pathetic weakling, and now I want to kill that snot nosed kid who dared to cause me so much grief. I'll kill him and those other weaklings that were there, and fulfill my promise to lord Jashin."

"I claim partial credit for having to sow your head back on. After I have claimed the bounty for the body of Asuma I don't care what you do. Now shut up you are beginning to annoy me."

"Fine! We will do it your way. I don't care, just as long as I get to kill the rest of those bastards."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"After a year we are finally ready," Shikamaru thought to himself as he stood waiting at the front gates for his team to arrive. Eight months spent training himself. One month devoted to apologizing to his friends and team mates for being so distant, and the last three months they all had devoted to reconnecting and perfecting their team work as team ten the second coming of Ino, Shika, Cho.

"We're ready." Ino said.

"Let's go Shikamaru," Chouji said as he and Ino followed behind him as he began walking.

"Freeze," Tsunade voice boomed before they could exit the Konoha gates.

"Godaime," Ino said shocked.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"Your orders are still in effect. We regrouped with different team members and are going to continue with our mission." Shikamaru answered.

"Shikamaru you are acting irrationally. I will assign you a platoon and once we have devised a sound strategy, then you can leave."

"Just send them as backup. I already have plans worked out for the three of us."

"Enough, you are not acting like yourself; you are letting your need for vengeance get the better of you. Asuma is dead. It's just the three of you now, and if you leave without proper preparation, you'll just be throwing your lives away."

"Asuma is still with us. We are not stupid enough to go out there planning to die. It's just that if I let it go like this, I will regret it the rest of my life. And that would be too troublesome a way to live." Shikamaru said looking feral.

"Grow up; Shinobi will always be surrounded by death. Some of them harder than others, and if you can't get over them you will be no good as a Shinobi."

Shikamaru pulled Asuma's lighter out from his chuunin vest pocket.

"Carrying this lighter, it feels as if Asuma is with us watching and protecting us. This lighter will stay with me until I have settled the score."

"Get real! Platoons are four man cells, and there are only three of you," Tsunade said frustrated.

"Then a fourth member is all they will need, correct?" Kakashi said appearing out of nowhere.

"Kakashi-sensei," Ino said startled.

"I will serve as captain for team ten."

"Kakashi what are you doing," Tsunade asked.

"They are going to go whether you like it or not. I might as well go and keep an eye on them, and make sure they don't do anything drastic. It's not like I have anything better to do since Naruto is training with Jiraiya."

"Fine, do as you like."

"Yes" Chouji and Ino shouted.

"Thanks a million, Kakashi-sensei," Shikamaru said gratefully.

"Let's go team ten."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jiraiya found Naruto underneath the water fall practicing control over his fuuton elemental chakra. The rate at which he was growing was amazing, but then, he had learned to expect nothing less from him. Naruto's pigheadedness and drive to protect his precious people would allow for nothing less. He walked down the mountain side towards Naruto. Once he was close enough, he saw that the water was not touching him but flowed around him instead.

"I see you have improved your chakra control; how long have you been like that," Jiraiya asked tossing Naruto a scroll.

Naruto inhaled deeply and expanded the invisible fuuton barrier that wrapped his body like a second skin; he diverted the water to his sides, and stepped out from underneath the water fall. "I am up to thirty minutes now," Naruto said as he walked across the small pond towards Jiraiya catching the scroll as he did so. "What's this?"

"A decision for you to make," Jiraiya said as Naruto unrolled the scroll and began to read. They had been gone a year and this was the first bit of news from Konoha Jiraiya thought was worth breaking training for. Naruto would have never forgiven him had he not shared it with him.

As he waited for Naruto to finish reading, Jiraiya recalled how possessed Naruto had become with training. After the burial of his grandfather, Naruto was so driven he learned how to use his Fuuton elemental chakra in three months. It took another month before he would come to talk about anything that wasn't related to the advancement of his skills; it was after he had finished learning the basics of combination attacks with toad summons that his infatuation with training had finally changed and he spoke with Jiraiya in detail about his grandfather, the cavern, and the extensive library he had bequeathed him, as well as all the lessons he had been taught. Jiraiya was honored that Naruto had decided to confide in him and had promised Naruto that he would not speak about these things to anyone unless he wished it.

"My decision Eh," Naruto said looking from the scroll to Jiraiya.

"It's your training."

"Well, I guess training is going to have to be placed on hold for a little bit then."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Since you spent all this time planning where do we start, Shikamaru," Kakashi asked.

"According to intelligence they were last spotted heading in the direction of our last encounter, but I believe that to be a faint. That Kakuzu guy was really adamant on collecting the bounty for Asuma-sensei's body. So that only leaves two possible roads they could take to reach Konoha."

"Right, but we have no idea which road they will take or where they are now." Ino said.

"True but we can find them using that," Shikamaru said pointing to an eagle in flight.

"I'm on it," Ino said smiling.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Shino" Tsunade called.

"Yes Tsunade-sama."

"I want you to find another member for team Kakashi so that they can back up team ten. Preferably someone who can fight at a distance, since they are mostly comprised of close to mid range fighters."

"Yes Hokage-sama."

"And Shino, once they are assembled send them off immediately."

"Yes Hokage-sama."

"I wonder if my request has reached its destination." Tsunade thought sitting with her elbows on the desk, hands folded and her lips pressed against them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kakuzu and Hidan were walking through the forest when Kakuzu discretely told Hidan to prepare for battle. Hidan nodded his head in understanding. Kakuzu and Hidan leapt into the air avoiding Shikamaru's shadow jutsu, and were attacked immediately by two kunais attached with explosive tags. The tags exploded engulfing the two Akatsuki members in smoke, but both were unharmed. Shikamaru pressed his attack, sending his shadow clone jutsu after them once again, but this time as they avoid the shadow clone, Shikamaru fell from the sky throwing his knuckle daggers with tags attached to them at his two opponents.

"Hidan more explosive tags dodge!" Kakuzu warned his less observant ally.

Both members of Akatsuki braced themselves for the incoming explosion but are only greeted by Shikamaru's words.

"Kagemane Shuriken no jutsu (Shuriken Shadow Mimic) complete."

"I can't move. What did you do bastard? Your shadow never touched us."

"The blades I threw at you are chakra blades. I am sure you are familiar with them. They absorb their user's elemental chakra allowing him to use them as a basis for his techniques."

"Kakuzu, what the hell is this little piss ant talking about."

"Hidan, quiet you moron."

"All you really need to know is that they are mementos from Asuma. The man you two murdered." Shikamaru said his voice filled with satisfaction.

"Huh," Hidan said in confusion.

"The thirty five million ryou," Kakuzu said reducing the memory of Asuma to monetary gain.

"He is very smart." Kakuzu remarked once he realized that Shikamaru staged his earlier attack in order to manipulate them into this moment.

"Huh," Hidan said confused by his partner's statement. Kakuzu revealed to him Shikamaru's cunning.

"You had to get caught too, didn't you Kakuzu? Oh man, we're really screwed now."

"You were screwed the moment you walked into my trap, just as I had planned." Shikamaru said as he took control of Hidan's body.

"What the hell are you doing?"! Hidan shouted at Shikamaru.

"I am making sure I target the right guy first this time." Shikamaru said as he forced Hidan to charge his partner. His scythe made ready to cleave Kakuzu in two.

"You're not the sharpest knife in the drawer are you," Shikamaru taunted Hidan, closing the distance on Kakuzu. The rest of team ten remained hidden waiting for their moment to strike.

"Kakuzu duck," Hidan screamed as his scythe struck out. At the last second, Kakuzu ducked. His hand removed the knuckle dagger blade, breaking the jutsu. Shikamaru was surprised that Kakuzu's arm could move while detached, and his mind ran through the circumstances of the events searching for the moment when he had removed it.

"You said we were finished, but you kept your distance because you still were uncertain of my capabilities. You actually think unlike my partner. But things do not always go according to plan, no matter how much you analyze the situation there is always an unknown variable." Kakuzu said, as realization of when Kakuzu had removed his hand dawned on Shikamaru. "He must have removed his hand while he was concealed in the smoke from the explosive tag." He had to admit, that the abilities Akatsuki and its members wielded were otherworldly. Thoughts aside, Shikamaru sent Hidan flying at Kakuzu swinging his scythe wildly, forcing Kakuzu back against a tree. Chouji recognizing his chance to attack fell from the sky. Nikudan Herisensha (Spike Meat Tank) He said as he fell upon Kakuzu creating a huge creator. The rest of team ten watched still hidden. Chouji flew out of the huge cloud of dirt created from the impact and asked Shikamaru what had happened. Hidan had walked out slowly from the huge cloud unharmed; Shikamaru stood analyzing the situation. "This was what Raidou-senpai described," he told Chouji. "He must have some kind of body solidifying technique."

"An astute observation; you are correct, physical attacks cannot harm me." Kakuzu explained to him.

"This is not good I accounted for their abilities to a point, but this is going to be more troublesome than I anticipated. If we can't attack him directly, then what will we do?" Shikamaru thought finding himself in a more difficult situation than he had expected.

"Cower in fear, you pathetic atheist. Now it is our turn. Kakuzu hurry up and free me from this jutsu already." Hidan said laughing.

"Sure." Kakuzu answered, when Kakashi surprised him from behind with a chidori through the heart.

"How the hell, I didn't even sense you." Kakuzu said shocked.

"Too bad for you," Kakashi replied. "I observed your iron skin technique. It is an earth based jutsu. Earth cannot stand against lightening. You were dead the minute I was made part of this mission."

"You could observe my jutsu even though it was performed at such a high speed, but how? I see you're the Sharingan user Hatake Kakashi." Kakuzu said in comprehension.

Seeing Shikamaru struggling to maintain his shadow mimic technique, Kakashi jumped away from Kakuzu allowing his body to fall to the floor. Freeing his arm, he turned to Hidan; chidori at the ready, Kakashi sprinted forward to run him through when Kakuzu stood up and sent him flying into a nearby tree with a well placed side kick.

"That's what he gets for acting all cool and saying stuff like your dead," Hidan smirked.

Kakashi stood brushing the scraps of tree from his body, trying to piece together what had went wrong. He knew he had landed a direct hit destroying Kakuzu's heart. And yet, there he stood.

"Nice, now lets slaughter these idiots."

"I intend to," Kakuzu said coldly, removing his traveling cloak; stitched on his back, was what had been four complete masks, Kakashi's chidori having destroyed the mask that had occupied the portion of his back nearest his heart. Kakuzu bent over and all the stitching which bound his body together began to unravel. The four masks leapt from his back to form monstrous creatures. Once they were unleashed, his body stitched itself back together. The creature which inhabited the mask destroyed by Kakashi, melted into sludge immediately after gaining its freedom from Kakuzu's back. Kakashi and Shikamaru took note of the occurrence, and Ino who had yet to reveal herself maintained her concelment, observing everything and biding her time. Three beasts, whose abilities were unknown, now stood before team ten along with Kakuzu and Hidan. To make matters worse, Shikamaru had reached his limit and could no longer hold Hidan with his Shadow Mimic jutsu. Hidan invigorated to be freed from the accursed jutsu, was ready to begin the impending carnage.

"So are you ready to kill them now?" Hidan asked Kakuzu.

"Yeah."

"Lord Jashin-sama, watch me. I am going to go nuts, seriously, non-stop insane on all of them." Hidan said giddy with the delight of a madman who reveled in the pain of others.

"Chouji, get ready," Shikamaru told him, preparing himself for the Akatsuki member's first assault.

"Hidan, sit this one out, I want to fight him." Kakuzu said ignoring Chouji and Shikamaru.

"Hold on, I'm tired of them always tricking me. I need some payback; let's do it like always, Okay." Kakuzu nodded his agreement. Hidan smiled as he charged Kakashi. He swung his scythe madly at the Konoha Nin. Consumed by blood lust, Hidan laughed wildly as Kakuzu finished their combination jutsu. The creature possessing the mask with the wavy blue markings on both sides of his cheek took flight. Moving behind Hidan, the creature released a devastating air attack which consumed both friend and foe alike. Ino looked horrified from her concealed position as Kakashi was consumed by a huge chakra filled sphere of air. The enormity and devastating power of the blast uprooted trees as if they where nothing, hurling them and everything else around like little toys through the sky. The overwhelming force of the attack pushed Chouji and Shikamaru back, and they had to channel chakra to their feet, so as not to be swept away along with everything else.

After pausing for a moment to admire his handiwork, Kakuzu turned to Chouji and Shikamaru. This time, with the use of the creature that possessed the mask with the yellow nose, he unleashed a tremendous lightening attack aimed at the two young Nin from Konoha.

Shikamaru dug into his ninja utility belt and withdrew a scroll of sealing possessing the word shield on it; stepping in front of Chouji, he held it before him to draw in the lightening attack, but seeing the enormity of the attacks power, he became doubtful that the shield scroll would be sufficient enough to protect them. No longer able to standby, Ino ran to her friends. Just as the lightening attack bore down upon Chouji and Shikamaru, Kakashi leapt in front of them and absorbed the entirety of the lightening blast released by Kakuzu's elemental beast. Ino finally reaching her fellow Ninja asked Kakashi in unison with her fellow team mates if he was alright.

"I'm fine." He said as Hidan walked up surprising him.

"I'm impressed. You are the first person to ever have survived that combo attack Hatake Kakashi."

"Saved by your Sharingan again, but can you keep it up," Kakuzu said forming some hand signs; he called forth his third beast that wore the mask with the red lips.

"Katon Zukokku," he said as the beast opened its mouth spewing fire.

Team ten and Kakashi took evasive measures. Shikamaru leapt backwards in a grand display of acrobatics, flipping and jumping, he found cover behind a thick, tall, tree. Chouji and Ino's escape had been less graceful; unable to escape the full concussive force of the blast, they both lost their balance and bounced and rolled their way to safety, but were otherwise unharmed. Kakashi leapt into the sky, jumping away from the blast at the last second, he was able to use its concussive force to carry him to safety. Choosing to pursue him rather than wait, Hidan leapt through the blast. While still in the air, He engaged Kakashi in close quarter combat. Kakashi withdrew a kunai from a hidden pocket. Matching Hidan's strikes blow for blow, he parried. Landing on the ground, Hidan pursued Kakashi up a very old, thick, and gnarled tree. He lashed out at Kakashi repeatedly with his scythe, only to be thwarted time and time again. Returning to the ground some distance away from Kakashi, he complimented him on his fighting prowess.

"Not to shabby."

Kakuzu and Hidan stood patiently as team ten regrouped with Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei," Chouji called as team ten landed behind him.

"Are you alright," Ino asked concernedly.

"Yeah," he replied as he thought. "Though I've been using my Sharingan this whole time, plus four Raikiris; we need to finish this quickly."

"They are extremely good at combo attacks." Ino said.

"Yeah," Chouji agreed "And Kakashi-sensei definitely connected with his Raikiri, but that guy is still not dead, why?"

"Your right, I definitely ran him through the heart with my Raikiri. He should be dead, but instead what I killed was one of the mask creatures from his back. We should assume that it died in his stead."

Shikamaru continued Kakashi's train of thought. "It was the same when he escaped my Shadow mimic jutsu. Something like a heart was attached to his arm and it moved independently."

"What do you mean?"Chouji asked confused.

"In other words, each one of those monsters he controls has their own heart. Plus his own, that gives him five hearts total."

"So we have to eliminate the four remaining hearts in order to kill him for good," Ino asked.

"Yeah."

"Good observation, you are absolutely right, each one of them has a heart that I took from a shinobi that I have killed. I'll need to stock up, and your hearts will be perfect!" Kakuzu said casually.

"I know you guys came here for revenge for the pathetic fire breathing ninja I killed, but that's not happening with your skills." Hidan taunted.

Chouji, always the easiest to become riled yelled, "Don't you talk about Asuma-sensei like that."

Hidan seeing his words have an affect on at least one of the four Ninja from Konoha continued his Asuma bashing. Chouji unable to stand by and listen to Hidan insult the memory of his sensei anymore charged Hidan in a blind rage. Hidan smiled and when Chouji was close enough swung his scythe to cleave the boy in two. Knowing Chouji's temper, and seeing through Hidan's mind games, Shikamaru was able to stop Chouji before Hidan could succeed in killing him through the use of his Shadow Mimic jutsu. Missing his first strike, Hidan followed through by leaping towards Chouji bringing his scythe in a downward strike to finish Chouji off. Kakashi blocked the scythe with his kunai saving Chouji's life. His opportunity to murder someone robbed by the copy ninja once again, Hidan switched targets. Leaving Kakuzu to deal with team ten, he once again took up the game of cat and mouse between him and the elusive Sharingan user Hatake Kakashi.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You dumb ass, you see what happens when you allow yourself to be riled so easily," Shikamaru asked Chouji, his voice filled with annoyance as he removed his jutsu.

"Gomen," Chouji replied when Kakuzu appeared before him.

Standing Chouji swung his mammoth arm at Kakuzu, but Kakuzu having decades of experience, simply dodged the blows. Seeing an opening he ducked an overhand left and sent Chouji rolling head over heels until he was halted by a tree with a well placed elbow strike. Chouji sat up only to find Kakuzu in front of him. Before he could muster himself to retaliate, Kakuzu side kicked Chouji in the gut embedding him into the tree.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The situation once again found Kakashi being chased up a tree by Hidan. Only this time, not only did Kakashi have to parry and dodge all of Hidan's attacks, but he also had to contend with Kakuzu's Elemental Fire and Wind beast as well. Hidan reveled in the chase. It always gave him a thrill, the way others fled for their lives unable to stop his immortal self. Kakashi ran for cover behind a particularly large branch, but was caught in the leg by the wind elemental. The wind elemental's attack was followed by two fire balls from the fire elemental. He rolled unconscious across the top of the tree, when Hidan swooped down with his scythe and cut him in two.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino in an attempt to save Chouji, found herself caught in the same predicament as him. Kakuzu had fired both his arms like harpoons and now had them both in a strangle hold, bidding them to die. Shikamaru was currently working his way in to save them dragging Kakuzu's lightening beast behind him. Shikamaru dug into his vest pouch and pulled forth another scroll. Opening it, he threw it to the ground before him and stepped on it forming some hand signs. The scroll read water, and as he stepped down, it released a large puddle which Shikamaru leapt out of as the lightening creature fired. Kakuzu, however, did not have time to react. Still holding Chouji and Ino in a strangle hold he was electrocuted. Shikamaru seeing that the electricity had no real effect hurled a kunai attached to an explosive tag forcing Kakuzu to release his team mates in order to defend himself. Shikamaru safely extracted Chouji from the line of danger and Kakashi had done the same for Ino.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Poof, Kakashi's shadow clone disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Hidan stood atop a tree dumb founded after realizing he was tricked by his opponents once again.

"Come on," Hidan said before returning to Kakuzu's side to regroup.

"Dude that was weak, what was up with that?"

"Same goes for you, being fooled by a shadow clone," Kakuzu retorted.

"Oops, you saw that," Hidan replied rubbing the back of his head embarrassed.

"Shikamaru, what's our next move," Kakashi whispered so as not to be overheard by the two Akatsuki.

"They really work well together. We have to isolate them and remove their ability to do combo attacks. Once we defeated Hidan, we'll focus on destroying Kakuzu's remaining hearts."

"But to be successful, someone will have to distract Hidan." Kakashi replied.

"I'll do it, I have the most chakra, plus I don't have the best skills when it comes to straight up fighting. I'll use my mind transfer jutsu on him and lead him away from here so that the rest of you can focus on Kakuzu." Ino said confidently as she stood.

"No way, that technique is only successful if you can keep your opponent still long enough for it to take affect. I doubt Hidan will give you the time necessary to perform the technique. If you miss you will be unable to return to your body for several minutes; it is too risky. I'll do it. I'll bind him with my Shadow Mimic and lead him away."

"How do you plan on doing that; he has already fallen to your technique multiple times and is wary of you. You will have to distract him too." Kakashi said.

"Then I'll…," Chouji began.

"No, if Hidan gets a hold of even a single drop of your blood then you are dead. It is just like last time, our team rushing in was the wrong move. Chouji, you and Ino need to save your chakra to help Kakashi-sensei fight the masked guy. I'll capture him, and… fulfill that role as well."

"Understood, we will leave him to you Shikamaru," Kakashi said as he handed him a small vile he dug out of his waste.

Placing the vile in one of the pouches on his belt Shikamaru strode forward, fired by determination and a need for vengeance. His shadow sought out Hidan and separated the two Akatsuki members.

"This again; is my scythe and abilities that scary," Hidan asked as he jumped away.

Kakashi took advantage of the momentary distraction to attack Kakuzu, grabbing Hidan's interest.

"You are my opponent," Kakashi said coolly. He engaged Kakuzu in close quarter combat with his kunai, slicing and thrusting, adding in kicks here and there. It was a well balanced attack, but Kakuzu countered him at every turn, and seeing an opening he leg swept Kakashi who fell to the ground and rolled to the side avoiding his heel stomp. Kakashi continued his evasive tactics trying to regroup. He went from a back roll into a leap to gain some distance from Kakuzu, but Kakuzu would not give him the satisfaction and shot out his hand grabbing him by the ankle before he could get away. Kakuzu then followed up by slamming Kakashi to the ground and finished by hurling him into a tree.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hidan was busy performing all manners of acrobatics in order to avoid being caught in Shikamaru's jutsu.

"Still attacking from a distance with your shadow clone? You're pathetic." Hidan said annoyed at having to dance around avoiding Shikamaru's shadow, but Shikamaru was unaffected, focused on his strategy to trap Hidan. Hidan leapt up a tree to avoid the chasing shadow and barely dodged the chakra blade flung at his shadow.

"He can throw blades wit his shadow," Hidan thought startled as the twin to the first blade sped towards him.

Ino was excited. "There is no way he can avoid it," she said, but was disappointed when Hidan stuck his scythe into the tree and leapt up to avoid falling into Shikamaru's technique. Standing on his scythe Hidan chastised them for thinking he would fall so easily, but was completely caught unaware as he saw Shikamaru lunge with a punch aimed at his face. Hidan caught the fist, but was once again defeated by Shikamaru's intelligence. Falling to the ground, Shikamaru pronounced his Shadow Mimic jutsu a success, and dealt Hidan some of his own medicine, correcting him for calling him pathetic.

"You son of a bitch," Hidan said angrily.

"Go Shikamaru," Kakashi said over his shoulder once he saw that Hidan was once again under his control.

"Leave the rest up to us," Chouji yelled while Kakashi was still engaged in hand to hand combat with Kakuzu.

"Right, Lets take a walk together, just the two of us," Shikamaru said, forcing Hidan to drop his scythe and run with him to his doom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kakuzu's elemental beast surrounded Kakashi as Kakuzu strolled forward.

"You sure you want to let him go alone? He is severely underestimating Hidan. That Shikamaru kid would have been a big bounty one day; but now, he will be dead before the end of the day. Then again, I can't fault your logic. I am strong too, and I have more experience then all of you put together," Kakuzu said as he held up his right arm, tendrils protruding from the three sections where it was sown together. "Looking at your forehead protectors reminds me of the first Konoha ninja I ever fought, the Shodai Hokage!"

"How old is this guy?"! Ino asked shocked.

"Then you really are immortal?"! Kakashi said startled.

"No, there is no such thing as true immortality in this world. I simply managed to extend my life by stealing the hearts of powerful ninja I have defeated before my current heart gives out."

Kakashi leapt away from the elemental beast as they began to move. The wind and fire elemental combined.

"I had five hearts. Kakashi, it is only fitting I take yours to replace the one you destroyed." Kakuzu said menacingly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hidan and Shikamaru were trapped inside a web of wire connected to a plethora of explosive tags. There was a cut on the cheek of Shikamaru and he looked terrified as Hidan stabbed himself in the hand and used the blood which fell to the ground to form his ritual circle. Hidan smile was beastly as he looked down on Shikamaru from inside his circle.

"Everything is finally complete. I have been waiting for this, DIE!" Hidan screamed as he stabbed himself through the heart with his portable spike ended baton. Shikamaru fell forward grabbing his chest. Hidan walked forward slowly laughing at how pitiful Shikamaru's attempt at ending his life was. Hidan fell back shocked, grabbing his neck as his forehead protector fell to the ground. Shikamaru had leapt forward and scored a hit to his throat, but it was to shallow to severe Hidan's head from his body. Quickly Shikamaru once again bound Hidan with his Shadow Mimic jutsu.

"Bastard, why are you still alive," Hidan screeched enraged that he had been wounded in the throat by someone who should be dead.

"I thought the answer would be obvious, it wasn't my blood on your spike." Shikamaru said nonchalantly.

"Not your blood, then whose blood was it?"! Hidan demanded.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kakuzu bent over Kakashi, his tendrils embedded in Kakashi's chest as he clutched his own chest with his free hand. "Impossible," was all he managed to say, the pain of his heart, as it slowly ceased to function unbearable.

"It was the two of you who underestimated Shikamaru that allowed this to happen. He refused to allow the knowledge his sensei Asuma died for go to waste," Kakashi said calmly.

"How," Kakuzu rasped as he fell to the ground his breathing labored.

"I managed to steal some of your blood when I struck you with Raikiri. It was that blood I handed to Shikamaru in a small vile before he took Hidan and left, and it would appear he was able to fool your colleague into using it in his ritual.

The elemental beast seeing their master lying dead on the ground rushed forward to save him. Kakashi ripped the tendrils from his chest against Ino's wishes as he told her and Chouji to prepare, because the beasts were coming.

Chouji leapt in front of them bellowing, "Baika no jutsu!" (Multi sized technique). Facing his palms out he howled, "Chou Harite," (Mega Palm Thrust) chakra formed around the palms of his hands and he slammed them down upon the elemental beast seeking to rejoin there master.

"Nice one Chouji," Ino yelled in victory a little too early. Tendrils wound its way up Chouji's arm, impelling him to release his jutsu, so as not to fall prey to whatever technique the beast might have performed had he not. But that was all they needed. The Lightening beast flung himself into Kakuzu's body. The creatures mask shattered after it had completed transferring its heart to Kakuzu. Kakashi gave a low curse as Kakuzu was revived.

"He is still alive," Ino said shocked and dismayed, when Kakashi explained that he had absorbed the lightening creature's heart. The other two elemental creatures seeing their master stand, leapt into him and Kakashi along with team ten stood startled as Kakuzu's body transformed into something hideously inhuman.

"What is he," Ino squealed, disgusted by what she saw.

"Even his main body is a monster," Kakashi said in disbelief by the transformation. Kakuzu's arms detached. Wherever there was stitching, they were elongated and held together by writhing tendrils. His back had a huge main of wild looking tendrils, and it spewed from his mouth as well.

"You have destroyed two of my hearts; it has been ages since anyone's managed that. You won't escape again."

"Here he comes," Kakashi said as he prepared himself. But the warning was to late, and they found themselves entangled by Kakuzu's living tendrils which had tunneled underground to reach them.

"Hatake Kakashi, I was going to use your hearts to replace the ones that I had loss, but I changed my mind." When Kakuzu was finished speaking the two remaining elemental creatures masks appeared beside him. One on his left, the other on his right.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hidan stood over Shikamaru who was kneeling exhausted.

"You idiot, after using your technique so many times even I could figure out that it weakens the longer you use it. You are out of chakra aren't you, Now DIE!" Hidan said laughing as he raised his spike to stab Shikamaru, but his glee was short lived as Shikamaru held his hand up and closed it bringing it back to his side as he said. "Kageyose no jutsu"(Shadow summoning technique). The Shadows around Hidan wrapped him in the web of wires and explosive tags. Bound and unable to move, Hidan glared at Shikamaru.

"I still have enough chakra to accomplish this," Shikamaru said satisfied at the completion of his plan.

"You bastard," Hidan said as Shikamaru threw a kunai at a spot marked on the ground.

"What are you doing?"

"Just wait and see."

The ground cracked open to reveal a huge crater beneath Hidan's feet.

"WHAT?"! Hidan shrieked startled by the deepness of the whole. "When the hell did you set this up?"

"I had this all prepared before we came out here?" Shikamaru said casually as if it was an everyday occurrence. Hidan was stunned by Shikamaru's foresight and planning of this moment and completely enraged by the fact that he was lead around by the nose this whole time by someone he considered to be pathetic.

"You dig to holes when you curse someone. Do you understand what that means?" Shikamaru asked coolly.

"OF COURSE NOT."!

"When you kill someone with a curse, you'll be killed with a curse in return, meaning that the curse ends up burying two people." Shikamaru said digging Asuma's lighter out and attempting to light it. "Your curse killed my teacher, and you thought you would get away with it. That whole is your grave."

"I'll never die! Even if you destroyed my body and all I am left with is my head, I'll escape somehow and rip your throat out with my teeth!"

Shikamaru lowered his head and smiled. He directed Hidan's gaze to some deer that had gathered nearby.

"Deer?"

"This forest is a special part of the Fire country. Only people from my clan are permitted to enter here. My clan will keep you buried here forever!"

Staring into the eyes of a stag that had ventured closer, Hidan had realized the truth behind Shikamaru's words and was struck by fear for the first time in a long time. Done speaking, Shikamaru continued to try and light his teacher's lighter when a hand placed itself on his right shoulder. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled. Asuma stood beside him looking at Hidan.

"You caught him, Shikamaru."

"Yeah," Shikamaru said flustered by the look of pride on his deceased master's face.

Asuma dug out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and placed one in his mouth. The lighter finally lit for Shikamaru as he held it up to light his master's cigarette. Asuma took a long drag from the cigarette and exhaled as he said, "I entrust my Will of Fire to you," and faded back into the ethereal. Shikamaru took a deep breath as he gazed at the small fire held in his hand.

""Damn you! What the hell were you lighting!"

"The powerful will that protects our village, the Will of Fire." Shikamaru said tossing the lighter at Hidan. "Farewell sensei."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It had taken forever to reach Kakashi and team ten Sakura thought finally able to see them through the forest trees as she ran with her fellow team mates Yamato and Sai.

"DIE!" Kakuzu yelled as his elemental creatures combined their abilities creating a huge fireball to destroy Kakashi, Ino, and Chouji.

Sakura gasped, and Yamato told them to speed up, but Sakura knew by the time they reached the others it would be to late, and she took her grief out on the mysterious fourth person that was supposed to meet them and had not arrived. "When I get my hands on that worthless fourth person who was supposed to be here already they are going to wish they were never born."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The cloaked figure and his companion arrived in time to see Sakura, Yamato, and Sai burst through the forest trees opposite him, but they would not reach their fellow Konoha ninja in time to save them.

"Its time to show them what we can do Gamakichi."

"Let's do it!" Gamakichi said as he leapt into the air.

Everything seemed to slow down, as the fireball headed for Kakashi, Ino, and Chouji, and they knew the fireball would be the last thing they ever saw. The first thing they noticed was the intensity of the heat from the blast and they had to avert their gaze less their eyeballs shriveled and dried. Ooare Goouka no jutsu (Great Storm: Flood Devastation technique), that was what Sakura and the rest heard before a huge wall of water fell from the sky negating the fireball and enveloping them all in a huge cloud of steam.

"If that's all you need, I am going to head out now. I am a little tired." Gamakichi said before disappearing. Although Naruto was used to it, the combination jutsu was fairly new and took the majority of Gamakichi's chakra. The vacuum created by Gamakichi's disappearance cleared the steam revealing their savior. He wore a white hooded traveling cloak with a red orange swirl at its center and red-orange trim around the part of the hood that concealed the Naruto's face from view and at the bottom which rose up to form flames. The cloak stopped at his ankles. He had form fitting black pants that were not to tight with two white bands that wrapped around his right thigh, tight black sleeveless turtleneck shirt and a sleeveless white vest, black elbow pads, black gloves that mirrored Kakashi's except for the knuckles which had small sharp spikes protruding from them, black open toed ninja sandals, and finally slung across his back in an x pattern where two short Kusanagi style blades.

"Sorry I'm late," Naruto said as he removed his hood revealing his unruly blond hair, Konoha head protector, and foxy grin.

"Perfect timing," Kakashi thought.

"So what did I miss," Naruto said taking on a more serious appearance.

"There are two of them. This one and the one Shikamaru led away. You should send a medical nin and a long distance fighter to help back Shikamaru just in case." Kakashi said to Yamato as he summoned Pakun. As for this one, well, we just need to kill him another three times and we won't have to worry about him anymore."

"You guys rest; I can handle him," Naruto said striding forward.

"He is dangerous Naruto be careful."

"I don't care if had all the skills of every warrior that once lived. No one endangers the lives of those I care about without suffering consequences."

Kakuzu laughed. "You are very confident for someone who has no clue of who there dealing with."

"Who needs clues; there is nothing to figure out. You're in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Oh, I see. Then there is no more need for words." Kakuzu said as Naruto called forth two Kage Bunshin who charged after him. Unsheathing their blades, the two Kage Bunshin attacked and were dispatched by Kakuzu with ease. Kakashi was the only one to notice that Naruto had used his Shadow clones to gather intelligence for him and marveled at the high degree of skill he had obtained. Formulating a plan Naruto created three more Kage Bunshin and sent them to attack.

"Wrong place at the wrong time," Kakuzu said mockingly as he dispatched the second wave of Kage Bunshin with the same ease as the first not realizing that Naruto had used them to mask his movements.

"That's what I said," Naruto retorted landing and crouching behind the shadow clone Kakuzu had pierced through the heart. Drawing forth his blades, he cried Fuuton: Arekuruukaze Enbu Sensotsuchou Tayokufan (Ravening wind's Dance of the Captain of a thousand Multi bladed Fans). Naruto spun with his blades forming a mini tornado which lifted Kakuzu into the air as a thousand wind blades shredded his remaining hearts to pieces. Kakuzu hit the floor with a loud thud.

"I can't believe I was beaten by a bunch of kids," Kakuzu spluttered.

"I suppose anyone who has fought the Shodai could consider us kids, but to us you look like a washed up, decrepit, old man." Kakashi said as he finished Kakuzu off with a Chidori.

Shikamaru arrived with Sakura and Sai to find Kakashi standing over the corpse of Kakuzu.

"So you managed to finish him off, I'm glad," Shikamaru said to Kakashi.

"No, not me, him," Kakashi said as he directed Shikamaru's gaze to Naruto.

"Naruto, when did you get here?"

"I arrived with team Kakashi."

"But I thought you were training."

"I was, until Tsunade sent me news of your journey of self interest, and thought, I could lend a hand. I'm sorry about Asuma."

"It's alright now."

"Does that mean you will be returning to Jiraiya to continue your training," Sakura asked more than a little sad to see Naruto leave so quickly.

"No, I am heading back to Konoha with you. Jiraiya said he wanted to take care of a few things while I helped you guys out and that he would meet me at the village when it was all done."

Kakashi gazed fixedly upon Naruto in deep thought. "Naruto has become so strong. Can you sense it? You are always in front of Naruto's eyes, making him stronger… right Sasuke."

"Kakashi senpai, its time," Yamato said.

"Yeah," he replied walking to join the others.

"When did you change the look," Ino asked curiously. Everyone's ears perked up in anticipation of Naruto's answer.

"That's a story I am willing to share after eating my fill at Ichiraku's, I am starving." Naruto answered.

"Sounds like a great idea," Chouji said excitedly.

"My treat," Kakashi said curious to find out where he got his swords. "Consider it my welcome back gift."

"ALRIGHT," Naruto and Chouji yelled in unison.

**Next Time: Chapter 18: Ichiraku's:** **Tale of the crimson blades**


	18. Chapter 18

**I am happy I was able to finish this chapter, because my workload just got a little heavier. It seems the honey moon is over. Enjoy;OD And see you next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto**

**Chapter 18:****Ichiraku's:****Tale of The Crimson Blades**

Naruto stood before Tsunade along with the rest of the Konoha ninja. Finished debriefing, she dismissed them all and asked Naruto if he could stay behind.

"Try not to take to long Naruto, or Chouji will eat your share of Ramen." Shikamaru said before exiting the Hokage's office.

"Aa," Naruto grunted in response.

"How are you," Tsunade asked.

"I'm fine, not a scratch on me, why," Naruto said being evasive.

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

Making the excuse that she had rounds to tend to over at the hospital, Shizune excused herself from the office closing the door as she exited.

"I heard about your Master from Jiraiya; I'm sorry Naruto."

"Is that all he told you?"

"Why, is there more?"

"Would you have told me about my father if I hadn't overheard your argument with Jiraiya?"

"Huh, where did that come from?"

"Just answer the question please."

"That was a long time ago, what does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything, now that I am back, how do I know I can trust you?"

"What exactly are you implying; what I did, I did to protect you!" Tsunade said outraged.

"From what," Naruto asked keeping a casual tone.

Tsunade paced back and forth; regaining her composure, she answered. "You had been through so much already with Sasuke and Orochimaru, and then came Akatsuki….adding to all that seemed cruel, and if I could shield you from even the tiniest bit of pain…."

"Hokage-sama….Obaasan" Naruto said moved. "We can't always choose the road we travel, but we can choose how we decide to walk it. There is nothing you can do to shield me from this road I am on, but at least I know that where ever it leads, I have my precious people and that they acknowledge me. That is something worth defending, no matter what the cost."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me Obaasan; I am not that old," Tsunade said feigning anger, happy for the return of Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja and one of it's greatest. Jiraiya was right. "He could handle the truth and much more," she thought. With everything mended and a new deeper understanding reached between him and Tsunade, Naruto turned to leave.

"Tsunade-sama," Naruto said stopping at the door way. "He wasn't just my Master; he was my grandfather as well. I don't wish to talk about it in detail, but when you see Jiraiya, tell him I said it was alright to fill you in," with that said, he closed the door and went to join his friends at Ichiraku's.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Chouji was on his tenth bowl when Naruto arrived at Ichiraku's. Kakashi was looking at his wallet and crying quietly. Now he knew why Asuma had spent most of his days broke. To add more burdens to his purse, Naruto had just walked in, and Kakashi knew he was going to have to dig into his savings before nights end. Ino waited for Naruto to finish his third bowl of ramen before pestering him about his attire and asking him when he had obtained it. "The cloak was given to me by Jiraiya before I left to join you guys, and the rest was a parting gift from a friend," Naruto told her not wanting to say more. Jiraiya had modeled the cloak after one of Naruto's fathers, the Fourth Hokage. The rest of his outfit was a gift from his grandfather; the letter had said it was an outfit he had worn in his days as a Jounin, and Naruto's diligence and hard work had earned him the right to dawn the outfit of his forbears. The letter ended with the acknowledgement of a Masters pride in his student and his contentment to move on from this world knowing that the knowledge of his clan was in good hands.

"Including the swords," Ino pressed.

"No, the swords were a gift from Kisame," Naruto said grabbing everyone's attention.

"Kisame," Kakashi asked maintaining a neutral tone.

"Mm," Naruto grunted nodding his head.

"Do tell," Ino said as she leaned forward, and all eyes and ears fell upon Naruto awaiting his tale.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Jiraiya and Naruto had finished training and were headed to a mountain resort Jiraiya had found during his many travels, for some much needed rest and relaxation.

"Even with the help of the shadow clones, perfecting this new technique is harder than I thought."

"Naruto, something like this can not be rushed. No matter how much knowledge you have, there is always going to be some unknowable variable to work through when creating a new technique. The fact that you are a quarter way through is a testament to your skills, not a disclaimer. Not even your father was able to take the rasengen this far."

"Really?"

"Yes, really; he was still in the theoretical stages of creating this technique, were you are in the actual creation phase. If he was here now, he would probably tell you how proud he was of you before bombarding you with questions as to how you reached this point." Naruto smiled at the thought of holding a conversation with his father about training and brain storming on the creation of new techniques or how they could refine and improve old ones, but his father had long ago sacrificed his life to seal the Kyuubi inside of him, granting his mother's dying wish and saving the village that gave her the loves of her life. Naruto should have been bitter over the fact that his father had used him as a sacrificial lamb in order to save Konoha, but reading the letter he left behind, had shown him that, that was the last thing he wanted to do, and in the short time they were together his grandfather had always said "Haguru, sometimes the right thing to do can also be the hardest." Naruto didn't bother asking what he meant because he already knew the answer. "You'll know when the time comes." It's all he ever said when Naruto asked for further explanations to anything and he was usually right. He missed that.

"Yo, Naruto we're here," Jiraiya said waking Naruto from his reflections.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Jiraiya had left Naruto soaking in the hot spring while he went to retrieve supper. Naruto knew that it wasn't the food he wanted, but another good look at their hostess. He kicked back allowing the hot spring to work its magic loosening all his stiff and achy muscles earned from a hard days training. Naruto had begun to relax when he bounded out of the hot spring suddenly; the spring exploded a few seconds later. Naruto quickly pulled on his pants when a familiar voice came from the shadow.

"Sashiburi, kozou" (long time, boy), Kisame said as he and Itachi came into view.

"You couldn't have waited until another time to mess with me? You just had to ruin my well earned down time, didn't you?"

"You will be able to rest soon enough. So are you going to be boring and come quietly, or are we going to have some fun?" Kisame asked.

"You chose the wrong time to mess with me. When I am through with you, you are going to wish for quiet and boring. If you live that is." Naruto said apathetically.

"All bark and no bite. I hope you brought some teeth this time, because last time, was a little disappointing, and I wouldn't want to waste my time again." Kisame said grinning, his shark like smile.

"Said the fool," proclaimed Naruto. "Kage Bunshin no jutsu," he said forming two shadow clones and preparing himself. He was going to enjoy this. This fight would be his catharsis. He would let it all out here, all the pain, all the sorrow, the pent up anger and out right rage. All of it would be released here, but not in the manner of a blind beast. He would conduct himself as his teacher, friend, and grandfather would have wanted him to, as the Master of the forgotten fighting art of whirlpool should. He would reveal to Kisame and Itachi his legacy, and he would show his father, mother, grandfather, and the Third that they could rest easy because as long as he lived, so to did their will of fire.

Kisame reveled in combat and bloodshed; it excited him, and so he was dulled to it, but Itachi could feel Naruto's strength as if it were a palpable thing that surrounded them, and for the first time, he set aside all his airs and prepared for battle. Naruto's clones rushed Itachi and Kisame crisscrossing each other as they surged forward.

"This reminds me of last time, except with a lot less clones. I hope you are going to do something more." Kisame said yawning as he withdrew Samehada. But it wasn't like last time; Kisame had found that out the hard way, when one of the clones jumped on his sword ran down it's length and kicked him hard in the jaw sending him flying through the fence of the hot spring which separated the males from the females. Kisame shook his head clenching his jaw. "This is going to be more fun than I thought," he said picking himself up out of the female side of the hot spring and striding forward.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Itachi had followed the movements of Naruto's clone and struck out with a side kick, only to find air. The clone had disappeared without his knowledge, and reappeared behind him. Itachi whirled around with an elbow strike but again found nothing to connect to. "What is going on here; why can I not touch him?" His thought was interrupted by a blow to the back of his head which sent him flying forward.

"Impressive, but it will take more than that to defeat me," Itachi said standing and dusting himself off.

"Who said I was done," Naruto replied from behind Itachi kicking him in the back. The kick sent Itachi crashing into Kisame who had just gotten out of the hot spring, and sent them both barreling back from whence Kisame came.

"Kirigakure no jutsu," (Hidden Mist technique) Naruto said as he strolled forward disappearing from sight as the mist settled.

"I see you have learned a few new tricks since last we met.I wonder who taught him the jutsu," Kisame asked Itachi.

"That should be the least of your problems," Naruto whispered into Kisame's ear before punching Kisame square in the face and disappearing into the mist once again. Kisame flew into a tree causing it to collapse as Itachi searched the mist with his Sharingan to no avail.

"Your Sharingan is useless here," Naruto's voice echoed through the mist.

"I think not," Itachi said activating his Mangekyo Sharingan "Tsukuyomi." He said catching Naruto in his gaze through the mist.

They were transported into a vast field with a red horizon. Naruto found himself tethered to a cross.

"So this is Tsukuyomi."

"Yes"

"Do you create what we see through the Sharingan or do I?"

"Although this is your mindscape, it is my realm and I control everything here. Naruto I didn't come to you seeking confrontation. I have a question for you."

"What could you possibly want to ask me?"

"I heard you are searching for my brother. I want to know what your intentions are."

"Why would you care about my intentions? You're the reason he defected from Konoha in the first place. You slaughtered your whole clan and betrayed Konoha. My business with your brother is between him and me."

"What will you do if Sasuke refuses to return to Konoha and decides to destroy it instead?"

"He would never do that!"

"But if he did? Which one would you sacrifice your friend or the village?"

"Neither! I refuse to sacrifice my friends, and I will not allow the village my father died for to be destroyed. I will find a way to save them both or perish in the attempt!"

"Only fools and great men ever strive for the impossible. Let's hope that you are the latter of the two," Itachi said placing his finger on Naruto's forehead.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The clone fell to his back dodging Samehada. Kisame followed through his swing and used the momentum of the swing to bring Samehada up and then down upon the clone. Shifting his wait to his shoulders and hands the clone sprung up. He blocked Samehada with his right foot and broke Kisame's right wrist with his left causing him to drop his sword. Angered, Kisame caught the clone by the collar and threw him to the ground. Naruto descended from the sky right hand extended as he thrust a rasengan towards Kisame. Dodging the chakra sphere, he caught Naruto by the wrist and hurled him into the nearby forest.

"This is more like it. Now I can have some real fun," Kisame said smiling. Kisame spun around to the sound of a high pitched screech.

"Fuuton: Rasen Shuriken," Naruto screamed as he buried his new technique into Kisame's belly. Kisame and Naruto both flew back, Kisame screamed as his body was shredded by the incomplete jutsu. Naruto, Itachi, and Jiraiya watched in awe of the technique and when it was done Kisame fell into a small crater formed by the explosion created from the contact between him and the Rasen Shuriken.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"What was that," Naruto asked feeling a little weird.

"A gift" Itachi said releasing his jutsu. "You be sure to pass that knowledge on to your master clone."

Itachi grabbed Kisame and fled before Naruto or Jiraiya could do anything.

"That Itachi sure is a slippery one," Jiraiya said as he checked Naruto over.

"And were where you?" Naruto said flinching as Jiraiya moved to his arm.

"Enjoying the show, you handled yourself well, but what possessed you to use that technique?"

"I suppose curiosity got the better of me."

"Well it would appear the use of your new technique comes with consequences. Your forearm is broken and who knows what else has happened. I wouldn't use that technique again, at least not until we discovered the extent of the damage and you discover how to negate the damage caused to you."

"Right."

"I think we all have no choice but to acknowledge you now."

"Huh?"

"The elders, Tsunade, and I, we all have to admit that you have worked really hard. Sometimes I wonder what's pushing you forward so hard."

"Well, I never give up and I have guts. I wonder if Sasuke will acknowledge that about me."

"I hope he does."

**XXXXXXXXXXXX End Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Whoa, you have truly become strong Naruto." Ino said sincerely after hearing the story behind his blades.

"So Itachi escaped with Kisame again, he truly deserves his spot in the bingo books" Kakashi said.

"Yeah, I am sure if Kisame survived that they will find me again, and I don't think he is going to be happy with me when he sees what I have done with the gift he left me."

"I thought that the sword only answered to Kisame," Shikamaru said.

"Now it only answers to me," Naruto said with a small smile.

"How did you manage that?" He asked curiously.

"Trial, error, a lot of blood, some sweat, and it doesn't hurt to have the knowledge of a legendary Sannin at your disposal too."

"I guess we should settle the bill and call it a night," Naruto said yawning.

Naruto stayed behind with Kakashi after bidding his friends farewell.

"Kakashi-sensei here," Naruto said handing him enough ryou to pay half the bill.

"Naruto, I said it was my present to welcome you back."

"I know, but I am sure you didn't know how much Chouji could pack away."

"You truly have grown Naruto."

"So I keep hearing." Naruto said smiling "Oh, and Kakashi-sensei."

"Yeah?"

"Next time you want to know something, just ask, it will save you some money," Naruto told him. Bidding Old man Ichiraku and Ayame farewell he began his journey home.

Kakashi smiled innocently, scratching his head. "Even more than I imagined."

Next time: **Chapter 19: ****Jaraiya and the Trial of Pain**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto**

**Chapter 19: ****Jiraiya and the Trial of Pain**

Jiraiya's mind wandered to Naruto and he wondered if he made it on time to help Kakashi and the others, but he was on a covert mission to gather intelligence on Akatsuki who had begun to increase there movements after learning of Naruto's dealings with Kisame and Itachi, bringing them more into the open than usual. Naruto would be upset when he learned that Jiraiya had not disclosed everything, but this chance to learn more about the secretive organization might have passed if he had waited for him to finish helping his friends.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Inside the Hokage's office Naruto stood in front of the Hokage inquiring about Jiraiya. "Tsunade-sama, have you heard anything from Jiraiya?"

"No, Naruto he has yet to check in with me but that doesn't mean anything. You know how he gets from time to time."

"Yeah, but he promised he would be here to help me finish training after my mission to help Shikamaru was over. I haven't heard from or seen him since. That was two weeks ago, and it doesn't take that long to travel from were we where staying to here."

"Perhaps he is running late because he found new research material, perverted old codger." Tsunade lied to Naruto. Jiraiya had asked her to keep his mission a secret from the boy for fear of his wrath, but she to worry about his whereabouts. He had neglected to report in and they had agreed on intelligence reports twice a week so she wouldn't be stressed to tell Naruto, who would never forgive them for keeping him in the dark if Jiraiya was in danger. The reports usually came in on time but the first of his weekly reports was late. She would give Jiraiya a little more time before spilling the beans to Naruto. "Kami give me strength," she mumbled to herself as she stared at Naruto.

"What was that Tsunade-sama," Naruto asked when Shizune walked in saving Tsunade from having to dig up a response.

"Hokage-sama, the elders would like a word," Shizune said coming to stand beside Naruto.

"What do those old geezers want from me now," Tsunade said annoyed. She would rather deal with her current situation than have to deal with those old farts who took it upon themselves to question her every movement.

"Shizune inform them I will be there shortly."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Shizune answered before taking her leave.

"Naruto, I have to take care of this pain, but I wouldn't worry about Jiraiya just yet. I was told that you were taught some healing arts by your late grandfather?"

"Yes, that's true."

"How far have you gotten?"

"I can mend some broken bones and medium to minor injuries, but I am afraid that I might not have the knack to take it beyond that."

"Hmm, I see. Well, I want you to give it a try anyway. Here," Tsunade said tossing him a scroll. "Sakura will help you in your learning. If you can master that, then you should be able to heal all but the most serious of wounds."

"Hai," Naruto said excitedly and gratefully he bowed before taking his leave.

"Well, Jiraiya you have until he has mastered that scroll to respond, after that I will have to tell him that which you did not want him to find out." Tsunade spoke the words aloud into the empty room as a prayer to hasten Jiraiya's report. She loathed the idea of telling Naruto something she promised not to tell, but he had a right to know. And she could not keep defying the look of concern on the boy's face.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Tsunade-sama wishes for me to teach you the medical arts contained in this scroll does she," Sakura asked retrieving the scroll from Naruto. "You truly have changed to be able to perform this type of art."

"Was I really that bad back then?"

"It doesn't matter you are someone completely different now."

"I was that bad."

"Let's just say you could be a little overbearing at times, but regardless of how annoying you could be, you never gave up and after that day when you had been severely injured in your attempt to bring Sasuke home, I realized that maybe it wasn't you that had the problem, it was me and then you disappeared….." Sakura said staring blankly at some distant spot beyond unable to continue.

"You know I used to have a really bad crush on you." Naruto said to Sakura's mortification snapping her out of her sudden melancholy state.

"And now," Sakura asked meekly.

"Sometimes I think my crush on you was because of my rivalry with Sasuke. Besides, I saw how you looked at him that day, and I'm happy to be your friend. I'm just sorry I wasn't able to keep my promise to bring him home."

"It wasn't your fault. I should have never allowed you to make that promise in the first place. I'm sorry I was so blinded by my own heartache that I wasn't able to recognize that I wasn't the only one suffering."

"There is nothing for you to be sorry about Sakura-chan. I made that promise because Sasuke is like my brother, and because we are a team, more than that, we're family. Anyway, what's past is past."

"You're right, we should get down to business. I promise you with me on your side, you will have this scroll mastered in no time."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Jiraiya finally reached the village of Rain where Konoha had lost their Anbu spy. True to its name, inside the village borders it was raining and he sought cover. Jiraiya thought the way it rained within the village was a little peculiar, but there was nothing he could do about it, so he let it pass; his main goal was to gather as much intelligence as he could on Akatsuki, rain or no rain. Fortunately for him, two unsuspecting rain ninja were headed his way. "Kuchiyose: Gama Mise no Jutsu," (Summoning: Toad Shop Technique) Jiraiya said calling forth a toad which hengen itself into a large tavern. Completing his trap, Jiraiya hengen himself into a middle aged shop keeper with a mustached and waited for his opportunity to put his plan into action. Seeking refuge from the rain, the two unsuspecting rain ninja enter the toad shop.

"What can I do you for," Jiraiya asked.

"We'll have a bottle of sake and two glasses," the ninjas answer in response.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Pain what bothers you," Konan asked curious as to what could disturb him.

"A dangerous and powerful chakra has just crossed into my domain. Konan, I'll stop the rain; I want you to go investigate."

"Right."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So are you going to tell me more about this pain or am I going to have to resort to more drastic measures," Jiraiya asked the ninja as he came before them.

"We'll never talk; we are loyal ninja of rain." One of the ninja Jiraiya had captured voiced defiantly.

"I guess you have out lived your usefulness then," Jiraiya said as he walked up to the defiant ninja and laying his hand upon him transformed him into a toad.

"WHA….what did you do," his fellow ninja asked in fear.

"You didn't think I would allow you to leave here as you are did you, and since I don't feel like killing anyone today, I have decided to let you live on. You will just be doing it as a toad is all. I hope you like eating flies," Jiraiya said coolly placing his hand on the ninja.

"No, no wait….. Pain is said to reside in the tallest tower in the city. He is rumored to be from the Fuuma clan and no one knows what he looks like. His power is not of this world. He is a true, heartless shinobi. He not only killed our old leader Hanzou but Hanzou's family, friends and business associates, all as punishment, like a god."

"I see, so what are your god's plans?"

"I don't know that."

"Then what can you tell me of Akatsuki?"

"I don't know anything about this Akatsuki."

"You better not be lying to me or I swear you will spend the rest of your days eating bugs!" Jiraiya said menacingly.

"Do what you will, I already told you all that I know. I will tell you no more, my loyalty lies with the village of rain and lord Pain."

"Well, if that's all you have to say then I guess there is no need for any further discussion."

The ninja from rain flinched awaiting his new doomed existence as an amphibian. The wall beside the ninja opened allowing Jiraiya to exit leaving his capture behind to ponder his impending doom. Summoning a toad, Jiraiya gives the toad instructions to find Naruto handing the toad a scroll containing a sealing key.

"What's this? You can't be serious," the toad said disbelieving what he heard and saw. "The last time you messed with the seal you wound up injured. The Fourth created that key to reinforce the seal that imprisoned the Kyuubi. Naruto is not ready to handle what you proposed."

"Your wrong, Minato made this key for Naruto with a reason. He must have foreseen some time when Naruto would need its power. Do as I ask please."

"I'll do as you ask, but really, what would that boy need with this type of power?"

"Thank you, now if you will excuse me, I believe I have left my guest waiting long enough." Jiraiya said exiting the safety of the toad's domain.

Konan immediately engulfed Jiraiya in her origami jutsu, but Jiraiya countered her technique with Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu causing her to retreat before she could do more.

"I am surprised to see you. I thought I would be confronting Pain. You have grown into a very beautiful woman and your jutsu has come along as well. Since I have you here, why don't you tell me who Pain is?" Konan responds to Jiraiya's request by taking to the air and releasing a barrage of paper shuriken. Jiraiya rolled to the side avoiding the attack; he sprung up, and quickly pinning Konan's arms down in oil he captured her with his Hari Jizo technique.

"All this time and I thought you three had died. You always loved origami and you used to be so kind. What happened? Tell me which one Pain is Konan."

"Do you regret not listening to Orochimaru all those years ago? We will make his plan a reality."

**XXXXXXXXXXX Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Please sir, do you have anything to eat?"

"What of your parent's child?" Jiraiya asked handing the boy some crackers.

"They died in the war. Hey you guys, get over here, look at what I have." The boy said calling to his friends who lay hidden amongst the ruble of a nearby destroyed building.

"Mister, you're a ninja right?"

"Whoa, ho, ho I am no mere ninja, boy. I am one of the greatest!"

"Do you think you could teach us ninjutsu?" The small blond hair boy asked. Konan, the little girl took the wrapper from the crackers and transformed it into an origami flower. She handed it to Jiraiya in gratitude for the food.

"It would be a kind act for us to kill them here and now, nothing but pain awaits there future." Orochimaru said walking up beside Jiraiya.

"Nonsense, their life may be hard for a time, but it doesn't mean that pain need be the only thing they experience in this world. I can watch over them for awhile and help them out. You go on ahead, and tell sensei I'll return after a short while."

"Foolish as always, but then that is to be expected from someone such as you." Orochimaru said as he disappears in a whirlwind of leaves.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX End Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I came to check up on you three once, but instead of finding you I met an old man who told me tales of you guys fighting in many dangerous battles. Is that why you have changed so much?"

"You have no idea what we went through."

"I may not have, but that doesn't make Akatsuki's goals any less erroneous. Why would you join such an organization?"

"That's your opinion old man!" Pain shouts down from above. Jiraiya looks up to find the man he was searching for standing on the branch of a huge tree in front of him.

"Your features may be different but you can not hide those eyes. Nagato, what happened?"

"That's none of your concern outsider." Pain said as he summoned a crustacean. The crustacean appeared suddenly from behind Jiraiya and spewed a blast of water forcing Jiraiya to dodge and freeing Konan from Jiraiya's grasp.

"Konan return to the tower. I shall handle this personally."

"As you wish," Konan said retreating.

Pain leapt from the tree landing on the crustacean summons; Jiraiya whirled around binding Pain and destroying his summons with his Hari Jizo technique.

"Where is Yahiko?"

"Yahiko is dead."

**XXXXXXXXXXXX Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Night fell and Jiraiya was by the camp fire cooking a fish. His three new wards, waited anxiously for the fish to be done. A young Nagato sat crying on a log.

"What's wrong with you?" Yahiko asked Nagato.

"This reminds me of my family." Nagato whimpered unapologetically.

"Crying doesn't do a thing; you need to start acting like a man Nagato." Yahiko said to Nagato unexpectedly drawing a momentary gaze from Konan, who quickly returned to her neutral and impassive state.

"Soon this war will end, and hopefully when you are older, war will be a thing of the past and you will be able to live in a time of peace."

"No way, first the world will have to live through the pain we have." Yahiko stated fervently. "You know it always rains here. It's like this country is crying all the time, but one day I am going to be powerful enough to change all that. Please won't you train us, I want to become strong."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX End Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Is that how you lost your way, Yahiko's death? The Nagato I remember never liked to hurt anyone."

**XXXXXXXXXXXX Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Konan was running toward Jiraiya screaming for help. Jiraiya bolted outside and found an injured Yahiko and Nagato next to the body of a dead ninja from Rock country.

"What happened?" Jiraiya asked them.

"He tried to take our money and food but Nagato stopped him." Yahiko answered.

Jiraiya looked at Nagato who was still in shock and crying.

"Why are you crying Nagato?"

"Yahiko was hurt, and I loss control, I'm scared. What have I done?"

"You saved the life of your friend, and that is something to proud of. The fact that you feel the pain of what you have done means you have the capacity to understand others, and that makes you human."

"I just want to protect my friends. I don't care how much pain I have to endure so long as they're safe."

**XXXXXXXXXXXX End Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You can't begin to comprehend how much death and pain I have seen, but I am grateful. Because of what it taught me, I was able to transform myself into a god. What I have learned a mere human could never understand. And my greatest benevolent act will be to end all wars. Through Akatsuki I will collect and then use the Bijuu to create a powerful Kinjutsu, and I will use it to wipe out one of the Five Great Shinobi countries. The pain and suffering from such a loss will be so great that war will cease and the world will grow like I have."

Jiraiya unable to listen to anymore of Pains madness extends his Hari Jizo and impales Pain. Poof, the figure of Pain disappears and is replaced with a log.

"Kawarimi," Jiraiya said as he spun around to find Pain standing on top of a huge scared and battle tested Chameleon.

"I figured a child like you could not appreciate this wonderful thing I am trying to do for this world as a god of peace."

"I would have thought in the short time you spent with me you would have at least learned to respect your elders." Jiraiya said as he summoned forth a battle harden summons of his own. Poof, Gamaken rose from the ground underneath Jiraiya's feet. Jiraiya with his usual flamboyant nature decided to strike what he thought was a heroic pose, but fell instead.

"You are supposed to hold still while I strike fear into the heart of my enemies with the pose of a hero, not cause me to fall; I look like an idiot now!" Jiraiya rebuked Gamaken accusingly.

"I was still, it was your clumsy feet and your impractical need for poses that made you look like an idiot!" Gamaken quipped.

"I didn't call you here so that you could argue with me; I called you here so you could help me deal with them. Let's get back on track shall we."

The Chameleon swallowed Pain and turned invisible. Jiraiya formed a barrier and asked Gamaken to keep Pain busy as he transformed into Sennin mode. Pain analyzed the barrier and theorized that Jiraiya must have created it to negate his invisibility. Instead of attacking directly, Pain performed another summon. A huge two headed dog appeared and leapt on Gamaken. Gamaken blocked the dogs fore paws and rolled back kicking the dog with his hind legs. The dog flew a few feet away and twisted its body to face the frog as it landed on its feet and charged Gamaken once again. Gamaken summoned forth his sasumata and shield bracing himself for the dog's onslaught. The dog clawed and snapped at Gamaken but could not reach thanks to his shield. Gamaken decapitated one of the dog's heads only to have it grow back. Again and again the dog lunged only to lose its head to Gamaken's sasumata, with each decapitation its attacks grew fiercer. Gamaken seeking reprieve and a chance to regroup to find another avenue of attack jumped into the air, only to find he had to defend against a huge bird called forth by Pain, while he was dealing with the dog. The bird sent Gamaken plunging to the ground, and Pain summoned a Ram. Gamaken outnumbered three to one prepared himself for the battle of a lifetime, when Jiraiya done with his transformation stepped forward and told Gamaken to leave the rest up to him.

"As you wish, be careful."

The ram charged Gamaken but he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Pain and his summons try to peer into the smoke but cannot. Suddenly, the ram was hurling head over hoofs. It slammed into the bird and dog summons and all three summons poof out of existence. Out of the Gamaken's dissipating smoke a transformed Jiraiya stood with two elderly looking toads on his shoulders. One male and one female, the male sat on his right and the female sat on his left.

"Why does he only call on us during battle?" an old female toad asked.

"This probably why Gamabunta is always crossed with him," retorted an old male toad across from her.

"Forgive me, I didn't want to call on you but my adversary is the wielder of the Rinnegan." Jiraiya offered apologetically."

"Is that so, well where is he?" asked the male toad.

"He is hidden in the belly of a chameleon summon who has the ability to cloak itself in invisibility."

"Interesting, I guess the next question is why are we fighting him?" The old male toad asks.

"He is my responsibility. I trained him when he was young and somewhere along the way he turned from the path that I had wished for him."

"I suppose that we have no choice in the matter then, he must be defeated, no matter the cost."

As the old male toad finished his comment the female toad uncoiled her tongue like a snake and bound the chameleon. The old male toad followed the females attack with a powerful blast of water dissipating the chameleon to reveal Pain, who indeed wielded the power of the legendary Rinnegan, just as Jiraiya had said. Pain called forth two figures that also seemed to own the Rinnegan doujutsu to the confusion of Jiraiya and the elder toads. One was a wide man the other was of average height. The smaller of the two Rinnegan users charged Jiraiya. He leveled the Rinnegan user with a well placed side kick to the face. Jiraiya seized the momentum of his counter attack to perform an oil and fire combo attack aimed at Pain, but the wide Rinnegan user deflected the attack. Jiraiya placed some distance between them by climbing a tree. Deciding to try his opponents out in close combat, Jiraiya formed an Oodama Rasengan and hurled himself off the tree. The fat Rinnegan user moved in and took Jiraiya's attack head on somehow managing to absorb the attack without taking any damage. Jiraiya leapt over the huge Rinnegan user and struck out at the original Pain with Hari Jizo, but Pain blocked Jiraiya's attack without batting an eye, and Jiraiya was forced to retreat as the small Rinnegan user attacked him with a fly kick.

"They have countered every one of my attacks without so much as breaking a sweat. Whenever I attack one, they block while another attacks with perfect precision each time."

"Yes, it's as if they can see through each others eyes." The old female toad offered.

"You're absolutely right," Jiraiya said as he began to formulate a plan of attack. "I think it is time to take a page out of my thick skulled but brilliant apprentice's book. If we are to stand any chance against them, first we will have to split them up. How are your singing voices?"

"You know there is no way to hide if we use that technique they will know our exact location."

"I'm sorry that I have to ask this of you, but it's the only way." Jiraiya tells the two old toads.

"Nonsense, Gamabunta may not be happy about this when he finds out, but it is for the good of the world." The old male toad offers in consolation. Jiraiya nods his head in appreciation and they set his plan in motion.

The Pains hearing the toad's voices rush through the forest after them leaping through trees when Jiraiya appears behind them and sends a huge fireball to engulf them. The large Rinnegan user moved to absorb the blast, but the enormity of the blast engulfs him, and sends the other Rinnegan users scattering. The average Rinnegan user leapt to the ground only to be caught in Jiraiya's Doton: Yomi Numa (Earth release: Swamp of the Underworld). Pain looks back and notices that he has been separated from his fellow Rinnegan users. He searches for Jiraiya who appears before him landing a fly kick straight to his chest sending him reeling back slamming into a tree. The toads finished with their genjutsu song, trapped the three Rinnegan users in dimensional cubes.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this." Jiraiya told the Pains as he impaled them with his Hari Jizo one by one. "Now that this battle is over I think you two should go home and have a rest, thank you for your assistance."

It was nothing, but it would be nice if you would try to call us for something other than life or death situation. Perhaps for something like a nice picnic or a good soak in a hot spring," offered the female toad.

"I will keep that in mind for next time. I promise." Jiraiya said as the two toads disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"I guess I should at least afford you a decent burial." He said looking at the three unmoving bodies of his former pupil.

"What happened to the lesson of never letting your guard down?" Pain said as he stabbed his hand through Jiraiya's back.

"You have truly become a fine ninja. It's a shame you lost your way," Jiraiya said coughing up blood before being replaced by a kawarimi. Pain howled in frustration that he was fooled so easily but calmed himself when he saw the blood on the ground that told him his former master had not escaped unscathed.

"How far do you think you will get with your injury before I or death finds you!" Pain screamed aloud into the surrounding forest. Silence was all that greeted his question.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto was sweating profusely, as he made his way to the lake. His concentration was focused absolutely in sustaining the life of the fish he held in his hand. Too much chakra and the fish would explode too little chakra and the fish would die. Either outcome, would force him to start his two mile trek to the lake from the beginning. Sakura walked a ways behind so as not to disturb Naruto while tracking his progress. Sakura was truly impressed with Naruto's abilities. It had only taken three weeks of total dedication to the studying of the scroll for him to prove his doubts about learning such a difficult scroll wrong.

Naruto had put everything he had into his training because of the unease he felt. Three weeks had passed and still no word from Jiraiya. Naruto's stomach ached; he had a bad feeling about Jiraiya's lack of contact.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tsunade felt a chill down her spine. Before her stood one of Jiraiya's frog summons he handed her a scroll. An unknown seal was held inside the scroll.

"What is this," she questioned the toad.

"Jiraiya asked me to report to you and to make sure Naruto received this key should he fail to check in with me after his battle."

"What," Tsunade said in a mixture of fear and anger. "What battle; he was supposed to be performing recon only that irritating…When I get my hands on him I am going to beat the definition of reconnaissance into his addled brain!" She said her anger winning over the fear "Where is he now?!" She demanded of the toad.

"I told you, I was to report to you and ensure this key reached Naruto. I have no idea where Jiraiya is."

"Surely someone on Mount Myouboku knows something," Tsunade offers the toad.

"I'm sorry but the life force that resides on Myouboku that is designated as Jiraiya's has disappeared. No one knows if he is suppressing his presence or if he has…" the toad refused to finish the last statement. "Jiraiya is one of the most powerful beings I know. I am sure he is fine."

"I can no longer hide this from Naruto. I will have to tell him everything. So start at the beginning and spare no detail of what you know."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"There is nothing else for you to learn Naruto. You have completed the scrolls training."

"Thank you for your help Sakura, I could not have done it without you."

"Nonsense, you have truly transformed yourself into a world class ninja Naruto. I'm sure if you still are considering becoming Hokage that you will definitely succeed."

I said I would, and I never go back on my word, remember." Naruto said smiling and rubbing his head when Shizune found them.

"Naruto, Hokage-sama wishes to see you. She said it is important." The look in her eyes was enough to send a chill down Naruto's spine.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rain ninja scoured the forest in search of Jiraiya to no avail.

"We have searched everywhere my lady and found nothing." One of the ninja said reporting in to Konan.

"I see so you wish me to tell lord Pain that his ninja's are incompetent and can not find one severely injured ninja."

"Konan, that is enough," Pain said appearing from behind her. "Regardless if they find him or not, the trail of blood he left behind says he is as good as dead. Tell them to call off the search and return to the village."

"As you wish my lord," Konan said bowing as Pain faded into the ether.

Turning to the ninja Konan barks "You heard lord Pains order. So why are you still here?" The ninja quickly retreated from Konan's sight to relay lord Pain's orders.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Nearby a well camouflaged toad which blended into a tree watched while the rain ninja receiving their orders left the forest as quickly as they had appeared. Once they had disappeared, the shadow of the toad began to slowly warp and grow until it transformed into a still bleeding and barely conscious Jiraiya. Digging into a pouch Jiraiya pulled out and consumed four soldier pills. Afterward, he tore a long stretch of clothe from his shirt and used it to wrap his seriously injured shoulder before getting up and staggering through the forest plotting a route which led him back to Konoha only stopping to pick some medicinal herbs that would help to staunch the flow of blood from his wound before continuing on his way.

Next Time: **Chapter 20: Sasuke's Revenge, Akatsuki's Hawk**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto**

**Chapter 20: Sasuke's Revenge, Akatsuki's Hawk**

The wind blew harshly as if it were being exhaled by some violent demon. Sasuke's eyes widen in disbelief as his brother advanced. Itachi walked slowly and deliberately towards his brother, his arm held up his hand reaching. Sasuke wanted to scream, but a mixture of fear and anger paralyzed him constricting his throat. Every part of him was utterly useless; it was all he could do to stand. So this is how it was to end. All of his efforts were for naught. Itachi labored for breath as his eye sight blurred. Sasuke had truly grown since last they met, but still there was one last lesson he wished to impart upon his brother before he died. Sasuke had resigned himself to death when Itachi reached him, closing his eyes he accepted what was to come. He was surprised when he felt the slight pressure to his forehead. He had thought the final blow would be more painful. Sasuke slowly opened his eyes to find his brother's bloody index finger at the center of his forehead. Itachi looked into his brother's eyes and smiled slightly before he felt himself floating. "I guess I won't be sharing that lesson with you after all. Gomen Sasuke, I didn't want it to turn out this way. Naruto, I leave it to you to bring Sasuke back." Sasuke saw his brother slowly moving passed him. Itachi's blood trickled down Sasuke's nose and forehead and worked its way into the tear ducts of his eyes causing him to blink. It was then that reality came rushing back to him and he saw his brother fall. He couldn't believe it. He should be dead, but wasn't. He had finally avenged the death of his parents, the death of his clan. It was over. He thought he would feel elation at the death of his brother, but there was nothing. He was numb.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The pit in Naruto's stomach grew even larger as Tsunade-sama handed him a scroll and told him of Jiraiya's mission, encounter, and disappearance. "I'm sorry Naruto." Tsunade said. "This was left to you by Jiraiya. I was told it was some kind of key. What that means I don't know, but it's for you and not me to decipher." Naruto's mind was whirling a mile a minute. It was hard to hear what Tsunade was telling him. Every part of him was numb.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Jiraiya drifted in and out of consciousness slumped against the trunk of a huge pine tree. He had lost a massive amount of blood before he could stop the bleeding, and it would take sometime for the blood replenishment pill to be effective. Willing himself to stand he continued his journey towards the mountain home bequeathed to Naruto by his grandfather. It was the closest safe haven he could think of where he could recuperate from his wounds, and avoid any unwanted attention. It also had an extensive selection of medicinal herbs and medical supplies. Kenichi Uzumaki had been very meticulous in his homes creation. In truth a man could survive there indefinitely without single contact from the outside world, but it was Naruto's grandfathers one and only vice to make small trips from his home to Suna so that he was not as he felt completely alone.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Shizune entered the Hokage's office anxious and on edge. Tsunade told her she was not to be disturbed under any circumstance while she was with Naruto, but the information given to her by ANBU could not wait. "Forgive me Tsunade-sama I know you did not wish to be disturbed while you talked to Naruto, but ANBU has just reported sighting Sasuke and I thought you would want to have the news right away." The atmosphere was charged with raw emotional energy, between the news of Jiraiya and the new intelligence on the whereabouts of Sasuke. Naruto's mind was racing through his emotion trying to find equilibrium. "Shizune assemble Team eight along with Kakashi, Sai, and Sakura and have them ready to deploy upon my orders." Yes Hokage-sama." Shizune said closing the door behind her.

**XXXXXXXXFlashBackXXXXXXXX**

"How do you do it Master? I have tried and tried, but I just can't seem to quiet my mind?" Haguru said. "That is where your problem lies." Kenichi replied "Huh?"Haguru blurted. "You try where you should not." Kenichi elaborated. "I don't understand what you mean Master." "Of course you do Haguru, you understand what it means to be quiet and you are rigidly holding on to its definition. To begin to quiet your mind you must accept what is. Do not perceive your thoughts as positive or negative, but accept them for what they are and let them go the same way they came, unbidden." "I'm just not cut out for this Master," Haguru interrupted. "Do not perceive your feelings as positive or negative, accept them for what they are and let them go the same way they came, unbidden." Kenichi continued. "Simply do what you do best Haguru." "Which is?" He asked. "Persevere; persevere until your perseverance becomes the stillness, because it is in those moments of stillness you will find the clarity of purpose one seeks whenever hard times fall upon you."

**XXXXXXEndFlashBackXXXXXXX**

"Naruto with everything that has happened I won't ask you to go after Sasuke. The decision is yours." Tsunade said. "There is only one choice for me right now and that is to keep moving forward." Naruto said slowly and deliberately making sure he kept his tone level and removed from emotion. "I will go prepare myself and join the others, but after this mission I am going to search for Jiraiya and bring him back. Dead or alive he deserves that much from me." He said exiting the Hokage's office. "For his sake he better hope he comes back dead." Tsunade mumbled to herself praying for him to be alive and well, although the anger she felt towards him at the moment for making her promise to keep his mission a secret from Naruto, and for disappearing and causing him more pain left her wanting to kill him herself.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Zetsu appeared before Madara. "Uchiha Sasuke has defeated his brother Itachi." "What an unexpected turn of events." Madara exclaimed. "I was sure Itachi would be the victor. Perhaps this is fortunes way of favoring me." Madara said reflectively before continuing. "Itachi never really did trust me after all which made our dealings somewhat difficult. Sasuke on the other hand might be a little more malleable." "He seems to me to be the exact opposite. His hatred towards his brother has given him an unpredictable and volatile nature. His murder of Orochimaru has proven that." Zetsu said in response. "On the contrary his hatred makes him very predictable and I shall use it to further my goals." Madara said smiling coolly. "If that is your choice, than we should move quickly to retrieve him because Konoha has sent a retrieval team after him." Zetsu informed him "Don't worry about the retrieval team I will handle them. You just go and retrieve Sasuke for me." Madara ordered before vanishing.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"His scent is growing stronger this way." Kiba informed the others as they sped through the dense forest on the Eastern Outskirts of Konoha towards the Uchiha's ancestral home before the formation of Konahagakure. "Sasuke now that you have your revenge is it over or is it too late for everything to go back to normal?" Sakura thought bumping into Naruto as the Konoha retrieval came to an abrupt halt. "NAARRUUUTTTOOOO!" Sakura yelled before falling silent as her eyes rested upon the figure of a masked man who wore the garb of Akatsuki leaning against a tree. "Aaaagh Konoha ninja what is Tobi to do!" The masked Akatsuki member exclaimed in surprise. "Tobi is it? Do you mind letting us through we are kind of in a hurry." Naruto asked politely. "Wow, so nice, but Tobi would get into a lot of trouble if he just let you pass." "It was worth a shot." Naruto said as he leapt at Tobi thrusting a rasengan held in his right hand at Tobi's stomach. "Direct hit," Naruto thought until he flew through Tobi as if he wasn't there. Landing on the branch of the nearest tree Naruto tried once more to make contact with Tobi and again he flew straight through. Seeing that his attack had no effect, Naruto released his rasengan and joined Kakashi while Kiba and Shino tried their best to score a hit on Tobi to no avail. "I could have swore I made contact with him is he some type of shadow clone?" Naruto asked as Kiba and Shino rejoined the group flustered by their failure. "As far as Hinata or I can tell he is real. The last attack by Kiba and Shino has led me to believe that this Tobi character can make him self intangible." "No way, that's impossible" Kiba spouted. "It would answer the question how he escaped my kikaichu." Shino interjected. "Right," Naruto said forming some marking clones as he ran towards Tobi. "Naruto wai…," Sakura began but was cut off by Kakashi sensei before finishing. "Naruto will be fine let him go." "But Kakashi sensei he is being reckless attacking before we have a plan in place." Sakura said indignantly. "I don't think so Sakura. I am pretty sure he is giving us an opportunity to confirm our hypotheses and hopefully through our observation we can find some way to counter such an effective skill." How can you be sure Kakashi sensei?" Kiba asked. "It was in the look he gave me as he ran off." "I suppose it won't hurt if we let him take over for now," Kiba said nonchalantly. "Besides it will give me a chance to see if all the stories I have heard about him are true or not."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I don't think we should move him just yet." Zetsu said to himself. "The battle has done him more damage than we guessed. It would be wiser to heal him first." "Well get to it, the sooner you heal him the sooner we can go.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Attack formation Alpha" Naruto barked to his clones. The three marking clones moved to the front of him in an arrow formation digging into their pouches as they did so. "Mark," the lead clone called out when they were twenty five feet from their target. Naruto enveloped the formation in smoke. The clones on the left and right to the lead shot forward flanking Tobi's left and right side. The lead clone jumped on the tree branch directly above Tobi launching a kunai downward. Tobi stepped forward avoiding the kunai when three kunai flew from the smoke cloud one landing in front of Tobi and the other two landing to the left and right of him. Tobi jumped back only to have the lead clone attack him. Tobi side stepped the lead clone's attack countering with a back fist dispersing him. As the cloud of smoke dissipated, Naruto appeared with a ring of senbon hovering above his head. "Ike," Naruto said quietly as he pointed his finger at Tobi. The senbon shot forward in search of their target. Tobi jumped into the nearest tree to avoid the senbon speeding after him only to have them follow him. "The senbon are following." Tobi said to himself. "What an interesting technique. I wonder how he is controlling them." He thought as he leapt, flipped, and rolled to avoid the senbon needles after him not wanting to give away his dimensional rift technique just yet. Searching for the answer to his question Tobi noticed Naruto pointing at him and thought that he had the answer to his dilemma. "Hmmm I see, where ever he points the senbon go." Tobi retrieved a kunai with an explosive tag attached to it from a concealed pocket sewn into his cloak and hurled it at Naruto. Naruto jumped back as the kunai struck the ground in front of him and exploded. Unable to avoid the full concussive force and shrapnel of the exploding tag Naruto received minor cuts and scrapes on his arms and legs as he instinctively shielded his body before being sent tumbling to the ground. Seeing their fellow team mate taken out Kiba and Shino began to move when Kakashi stopped them. "Wait" he ordered. "But Kakashi-sensei Naruto.…," Kiba began. Kakashi cut him off mid sentence. "He is not done let's not waste his efforts by rushing in prematurely. Focus on observing our opponent instead." The team stood down and waited for the next move. The senbon needles fell all around Tobi like rain drops. "Kai," Naruto said seeing Tobi ignore his senbon needles made from explosive tags. Tobi heard a hissing sound before the ground began to break apart BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, the senbon surrounding him exploded. Naruto stood dusting himself off as he stared at the huge debris cloud made by the explosion waiting to see what if any damage he had inflicted upon his opponent.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Inside an alternate dimension Madara fumed. "A second later and I would not be here." He thought to himself enraged at being tricked so easily by the Jinchuuriki. "He has grown a great deal farther than the reports I have read. I think it would be more prudent to acquire him now. It would definitely be a far deal less troublesome than allowing him to mature any further."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"ALRIGHT," Kiba yelled. "There is no way he dodged that attack." "A very cunning strategy" Shino noted. "Yes, direct hit." Sakura thought. A kunai flew from the debris cloud hitting Naruto just below the heart as Tobi appeared walking from the debris cloud unscathed. Everyone stood frozen unable to believe what had just happened. "NAARRRUUUTTTOOO!" Hinata and Sakura screamed together in unison. Tobi lifted Naruto from the ground and slung him over his right shoulder. "I think it best if Akatsuki claimed you now." Madara said in an icy manner doing away with the clownish façade he had erected when facing the Konoha ninja. "The time for play is over." He said staring at them. POOF, Naruto exploded engulfing Madara in noxious gas. Madara's eyes began to water as he coughed and vomited uncontrollably. Naruto erupted out from underneath the ground at Madara's feet. Kunai in hand, he slashed at Madara's right side from bottom to top drawing blood from his leg and arm before Madara was able to turn intangible. Teleporting himself out of harm's way a watery eyed Madara stared down at Naruto coughing and dry heaving from atop a tree 100 feet away. Madara willed his body to stop coughing and dry heaving long enough so that he could speak to Naruto. "Well played Jinchuuriki, but mark my words Konoha's time has come and so has yours. You have earned my respect so I have decided to allow you a little more time before we come to claim you. Enjoy it while you can." Madara said before disappearing.

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"Are we ready?' Madara asked Zetsu. "Yes I have healed him enough so that he can be moved". "Good, let us depart before those Konoha ninja arrive." "Yes Madara-sama." Zetsu replied retrieving Sasuke from the ground while taking note of the wounds inflicted upon his leg and arm. "There was one among them who was able to touch Madara-sama, amazing." "SASUKEEEE!" Naruto yelled as he saw his former team mate flanked by the orange masked Akatsuki member and some other weird member of their group. Madara reverting to his clownish persona waved saying goodbye before vanishing with his subordinate and Sasuke.

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"Where am I?" Sasuke asked rising. "Your safe" Madara reply. "Who are you and what do you want?" Sasuke said irritated. "Me, I want nothing. It's what you want which is important." "I want for nothing." Sasuke replied. "Not true, you want revenge against those who murdered your family and destroyed your clan." "I have my revenge my brother is dead." "But your brother wasn't responsible for the death of your family or the destruction of your clan. He was merely an instrument, and your savior. "YOU LIE!" Sasuke yelled. "Do I?' Madara asked stepping out of the shadows.

Next Time: **Chapter 21: The Calm Before the Storm, Hurricane Danzo**


End file.
